HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania has long suffered the “Puppy Mill Capitol of the East” label, but Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff believes the state can become a leader in the treatment of dogs in kennels with swift passage of House Bill 2525 this week. 

Wolff urged Pennsylvanians to call their legislators and ask them to pass the bill quickly during the short legislative session.

By improving the minimum standards for commercial breeding kennels, the worst of which are called puppy mills, Wolff said Pennsylvania can better protect dogs in kennels and the families who welcome them into their homes.

“Current Pennsylvania law allows dogs to be kept in cramped, stacked cages their entire lives with minimal care and no opportunity to exercise.  It’s easy to see how the state has come to be known as the home of puppy mills.  These conditions are legal, and the result is dogs that are physically and emotionally damaged,” said Wolff.  “Pennsylvania owes it to every dog owner to ensure that the standards of care are raised for the sake of their dogs and families.”

Wolff said widespread public support could help move the legislation forward.  He said his office has received an outpouring of support for the bill in light of the recent shooting of 80 dogs in two Berks County kennels. 

“The recent shooting of 80 dogs at two Berks County kennels is saddening.  The decision by commercial breeders to kill healthy dogs instead of paying to repair a kennel and seek veterinary care is alarming,” said Wolff.  “The public response has been a mixture of disbelief and outrage.  It’s a shock to many people to realize such acts are legal under current Pennsylvania law.

“House Bill 2525 would allow only veterinarians to euthanize dogs in commercial breeding kennels.  The bill would strengthen current dog laws and provide better standards for the health and safety of dogs in commercial breeding kennels without burdening other types of kennels that house dogs.”

Wolff said some special interest groups, armed with high-paid lobbyists, are fighting the bill, for fear it would force them to invest their profits back into the treatment of their dogs, which can sell for hundreds of dollars each. 

“There are many reputable commercial breeders in Pennsylvania, and the department has worked with them and other segments of the kennel community to make sure this legislation does not impede their ability to breed and raise high-quality show dogs, sporting dogs, and companion dogs,”  said Wolff.  “Unfortunately, there is still opposition from the groups for whom this legislation aims to raise the bar – those who raise dogs for tremendous profit with little or no regard for the dogs’ welfare or the welfare of the families who come to own them.”

Among other protections for dogs, H.B. 2525 doubles the minimum floor space for dogs, eliminates wire flooring, and requires access to an outdoor exercise area twice the size of the dog’s primary enclosure.  Current law does not require dogs to ever be taken out of cages, much less given access to exercise areas.

The bill would require veterinary examinations for each dog at least once per year or during each pregnancy. 

Current law treats all kennels the same, regardless of size or function.  The proposed legislation would allow the health and welfare needs of the dogs housed in large commercial breeding kennels to be addressed.

Requirements are virtually unchanged for other types of kennels, like sporting and hobby dog kennels, because they do not operate with the purpose of breeding large quantities of dogs to sell for profit.  Instead, they operate for the purpose of sporting, hobby, boarding or finding homes for dogs. 

The proposed legislation is a result of Governor Edward G. Rendell’s effort to improve living conditions for dogs in Pennsylvania kennels. 

Since 2006, Governor Rendell has made improvements to the staffing and enforcement efforts of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which oversees the inspection and licensing of kennels.

For more information on the proposed legislation overhauling Pennsylvania’s Dog Law, visit www.DogLawAction.com

 

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