PA Federation of Dog Clubs
Legislation Watch List


PA Senate Bills



  • SB67 – Repeals Sunday Hunting Prohibition. Applies to hunters using dogs. SUPPORT
  • SB82 – License fee exemptions for service dogs used by fire dept, sheriff, rescue, medical emergency, municipal or state police. Declares dogs as personal property. SUPPORT
  • SB118 – Expands list of entities that can receive a wine & spirit auction permit for the means of raising funds. Does not include 501c3's not registered w/ the PDE. (PA Dept of Education) (*See also HB86) NEUTRAL
  • SB357 – Constitutional Carry of a Firearm. Would refer to hunting & sporting groups SUPPORT
  • SB624 – Lost Dog Hotline and Lost Dog Registry within the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. The question is funding sources given current shortfalls at the BDLE. SUPPORT
  • Dogs used in medical and veterinary research. Generally speaking, we see the need for research using animal subjects, but obviously they need to be handled as humanely as possible. Most research facilities, both academic and private, have ethics review boards to evaluate the need for animal subjects. We believe most of those do a good job, so we question the need for these Bills. NEUTRAL
      • SB701 – Regulating kennels that produce dogs for research
      • SB702 – Amend Dog Law regarding research kennels
      • SB703 – Amend Cruelty Laws regarding research kennels

PA House Bills



  • HB86 – Legislation to allow any 501c3 or 501c6 organizaƟon to sell liquor for fundraising purposes. NEUTRAL
  • HB139 – Taking the Judiciary out of Dog Law – under current law, all fines, fees & costs collected are deposited into the Judicial System account. The transfers include amounts imposed under Act 225 – AKA – Dog Law – that would be used to fund the operaƟons of the Dept of Ag, which oversees Dog Law Enforcement. This legislaƟon addresses this issue by exempƟng fines, fees & costs under the Dog Law from being transferred to the Judicial Computer System. Accounts for approximately 200K per year. SUPPORT
  • HB222 - Cruelty to Animals – violaƟon causing bodily harm due to cropping, trimming or cuƫng off the whole or part of the ear or ears of the animal by a person who is not a licensed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. SUPPORT
    • 1st offense – misdemeanor of the 2nd degree
    • 2nd offense – misdemeanor of the 1st degree
  • HB449 – Kidnapping of Animals – Establishes tough penalƟes for intenƟonally selling or taking of any dog, cat, equine, swine, caƩle – any animal – to resell to puppy mills, research faciliƟes or animal Fighters. SUPPORT
  • HB508 – Banning of cat declawing – specifically refers to only cats, however, it refers to “animal mutilation”, which we all should know that the AR groups refer to dewclaw removal, cropping & docking as “mutilation.” This is a private decision between the owner and their vet. (Should this bill pass, their next step would be dogs.) OPPOSE
  • HB526 – Requires pet shops to provide all health, medical and breeder licensing numbers – “keeping breeders honest” SUPPORT
  • HB529 – Animal Cruelty – Transporting dogs – supported by the American Humane Society – prohibits transporting of dogs in truck beds or car roofs. SUPPORT

Watching Harrisburg Lawmakers....
so dog owners are able to enjoy their dogs now and in the future!
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