PA Poised To Strengthen Protections For Dogs & Cats

HARRISBURG, PA — A trio of state lawmakers are teaming to introduce a legislation package that would significantly increase safety measures for animals being bred and used in animal testing laboratory research.

Democratic representatives Ryan Bizarro of Erie County, Jeanne McNeil of Lehigh County and Melissa Shusterman of Montgomery County have three bills in mind.

The first would prohibit the sale or import of dogs or cats bred by a kennel or a person who has received certain serious or numerous citations for Animal Welfare Act violations. An additional provision would require anyone selling dogs or cats for research purposes to maintain records for those animals and submit an annual summary to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

The second would offer Whistleblower protection to employees who report violations of the Dog Law, Title 18’s Cruelty to Animals provisions or federal Animal Welfare Act.

The third would narrow exemptions to existing protections under the animal cruelty statute can be extended to or research and to animals possessed by testing labs not actively involved in bona fide scientific or medical research.

"Pennsylvania can do much better in protecting animals being bred and used for research in animal testing laboratories and from kennels and dealers who face serious or multiple citations under the Animal Welfare Act," the trio of lawmakers said in a joint statement.