THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

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HOUSE BILL

No. 499 Session of 2007

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        INTRODUCED BY DiGIROLAMO, O'NEILL, SCAVELLO, READSHAW, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, BUXTON, CAPPELLI, CASORIO, DePASQUALE, EVERETT, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HARPER, HENNESSEY, KENNEY, KILLION, LEACH, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, MENSCH, MUSTIO, NAILOR, PAYNE, RAYMOND, REICHLEY, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCHRODER, SIPTROTH, STABACK, TANGRETTI, J. TAYLOR, WATSON, WHEATLEY, J. WHITE AND YOUNGBLOOD,

           FEBRUARY 26, 2007

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        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 26, 2007

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                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania

     2     Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the penalties

     3     for cruelty to animals.

     4     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     5  hereby enacts as follows:

     6     Section 1.  Section 5511(a) and (m.1) of Title 18 of the

     7  Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the section

     8  is amended by adding a subsection to read:

     9  § 5511.  Cruelty to animals.

    10     (a)  Killing, maiming or poisoning domestic animals or zoo

    11  animals, etc.--

    12         (1)  A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree

    13     if he willfully and maliciously:

    14             (i)  Kills, maims or disfigures any domestic animal

    15         of another person or any domestic fowl of another person.

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     1             (ii)  Administers poison to or exposes any poisonous

     2         substance with the intent to administer such poison to

     3         any domestic animal of another person or domestic fowl of

     4         another person.

     5             (iii)  Harasses, annoys, injures, attempts to injure,

     6         molests or interferes with a dog guide for an individual

     7         who is blind, a hearing dog for an individual who is deaf

     8         or audibly impaired or a service dog for an individual

     9         who is physically limited.

    10     Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this

    11     paragraph shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than

    12     [$500] $1,000.

    13         (2)  A person commits a felony of the third degree if he

    14     willfully and maliciously:

    15             (i)  Kills, maims or disfigures any zoo animal in

    16         captivity.

    17             (ii)  Administers poison to or exposes any poisonous

    18         substance with the intent to administer such poison to

    19         any zoo animal in captivity.

    20         (2.1)  (i)  A person commits a misdemeanor of the first

    21         degree if he willfully and maliciously:

    22                 (A)  Kills, maims, mutilates, tortures or

    23             disfigures any dog or cat, whether belonging to

    24             himself or otherwise. If a person kills, maims,

    25             mutilates, tortures or disfigures a dog guide for an

    26             individual who is blind, a hearing dog for an

    27             individual who is deaf or audibly impaired or a

    28             service dog for an individual who is physically

    29             limited, whether belonging to the individual or

    30             otherwise, that person, in addition to any other

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     1             applicable penalty, shall be required to make

     2             reparations for veterinary costs in treating the dog

     3             and, if necessary, the cost of obtaining and training

     4             a replacement dog.

     5                 (B)  Administers poison to or exposes any

     6             poisonous substance with the intent to administer

     7             such poison to any dog or cat, whether belonging to

     8             himself or otherwise.

     9             (ii)  Any person convicted of violating the

    10         provisions of this paragraph shall be sentenced to pay a

    11         fine of not less than [$1,000] $2,000 or to imprisonment

    12         for not more than two years, or both. The court may also

    13         order a presentence mental evaluation. A subsequent

    14         conviction under this paragraph shall be a felony of the

    15         third degree. This paragraph shall apply to dogs and cats

    16         only.

    17             (iii)  The killing of a dog or cat by the owner of

    18         that animal is not malicious if it is accomplished in

    19         accordance with the act of December 22, 1983 (P.L.303,

    20         No.83), referred to as the Animal Destruction Method

    21         Authorization Law.

    22         (3)  This subsection shall not apply to:

    23             (i)  the killing of any animal taken or found in the

    24         act of actually destroying any domestic animal or

    25         domestic fowl;

    26             (ii)  the killing of any animal or fowl pursuant to

    27         the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1225, No.316), known as The

    28         Game Law, or 34 Pa.C.S. §§ 2384 (relating to declaring

    29         dogs public nuisances) and 2385 (relating to destruction

    30         of dogs declared public nuisances), or the regulations

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     1         promulgated thereunder; or

     2             (iii)  such reasonable activity as may be undertaken

     3         in connection with vermin control or pest control.

     4     * * *

     5     (m.1)  Fine for summary offense.--In addition to any other

     6  penalty provided by law, a person convicted of a summary offense

     7  under this section shall pay a fine of not less than [$50] $100

     8  nor more than [$750] $1,000 or to imprisonment for not more than

     9  90 days, or both.

    10     * * *

    11     (m.3)  Obligation for upkeep of animals.--

    12         (1)  In addition to any requirements in subsection (j) or

    13     (l), the owner shall be responsible for paying the costs of

    14     keeping and caring for any animal held by a humane society or

    15     association for the prevention of cruelty to animals

    16     incorporated under the laws of this Commonwealth or an agent

    17     of either that is holding an animal in connection with a

    18     charge filed under this section. The owner shall be

    19     responsible for payment of these costs during the entire

    20     period pending the final disposition of a charge filed under

    21     this section. Payment may be sought at any time after seizure

    22     of an animal.

    23         (2)  An owner shall be deemed to have abandoned an animal

    24     if the owner fails to make full payment of reasonable costs

    25     of transportation, feeding, care and veterinary expenses

    26     within 20 days of a second written request by a humane

    27     society or association for the prevention of cruelty to

    28     animals that is holding the animal or is legally responsible

    29     for the animal's care and is incurring costs from a third

    30     party. In order for abandonment to be found, at least two

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     1     written requests for payment must be served by personal

     2     service or registered or certified mail, return receipt

     3     requested, upon a responsible person at the residence or

     4     business from which the animal was seized.

     5         (3)  A person who abandons an animal under this

     6     subsection may still be held responsible by the authority

     7     hearing the charges for the costs associated with the keeping

     8     and caring for the animal prior to abandonment.

     9         (4)  A person may avoid liability for the upkeep of the

    10     animal by relinquishing ownership of the animal at the time

    11     that the animal is placed in the care of the humane society

    12     or association for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

    13     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.