Animal advocates from across Pennsylvania rallied Monday, September 13 on the Capitol steps to urge state legislators: Pass Humane Animal Legislation now.

The rally on the 3^rd Street steps was a follow-up to years of effort by animal welfare advocates to pass legislation to improve the lives of all companion animals living in the state's shelters, commercial breeding kennels and homes.

This past month the dogs trapped in Pennsylvania's Class C commercial kennels were dealt a blow when the Dept. of Agriculture and Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement issued regulations that watered down humane requirements enacted in 2008. Despite an explicit ban on wire flooring, the new regulations allow Class C breeders to use wire flooring for 50% of the flooring in cages holding mothers about to give birth or who are nursing. Jessie Smith, Deputy Secretary for the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement has announced the Bureau will not enforce as to nursing mothers the 2008 law requiring dogs trapped in Class C kennels to have "unfettered access" to an exercise area. 

Also, the legislature has continued to fail to address care and treatment, housing and handling of thousands of dogs trapped in for profit kennels that are not Class C kennels. 

And, legislation relating to how long animals may be tethered outside and use of carbon monoxide gas chambers to kill shelter animals have long languished in the General Assembly.

"In this significant election year, here's our chance to make sure legislators hear us: pass meaningful animal welfare legislation," said Helen Ebersole, president and co-founder of United Against Puppy Mills, one of several groups that organized the rally.

Steven Hoover, director of the League of Humane Voters' Western PA Chapter, supports Senate Bill 672 to outlaw use of carbon monoxide gas to kill animals in shelters. The bill was originally introduced in 2006, but has yet to be passed, despite assurances from legislators. Indeed, the American Veterinary Medical Association and Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association have worked to kill this humane legislation each time. 

"This General Assembly is lagging way behind other states," Hoover said. "This rally is to try to get them in step with states that have made great strides in getting animal welfare legislation passed. All of us in the animal protection community vote. If the people in this General Assembly won't listen to us, we will find someone who will."

Legislators returning from summer break Sept. 13 were met by rally attendees and their canine companions who are asking all legislators to create animal welfare policy statements - essentially putting their intentions on paper to ensure accountability.

"Over the last five years we've heard many promises that, in some cases, amounted to lip-service and we'd like to see our elected officials live up to the guarantees they made," said Jenny Stephens, director of the animal advocacy group North Penn Puppy Mill Watch.

Tamira Thayne, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, which seeks to limit the length of time dogs may be chained outside (S.B. 1435), said, "Here in Pennsylvania, six years have gone by while we attempt to pass much more modest legislation". Thayne has been chained near the Capitol and said she will remain there until legislators pass limits on chaining dogs. See the video below of Tami's speech to advocates at the rally.

Other bills that are languishing in legislative committees

S.B. 673 would require kennels that have seized cats to keep them for five days if there is an indication of ownership or if an owner is reached, five days after that contact.  The bill would require kennels otherwise to keep cats  for at least 48 hours and allow potential adopters access to them.

The bill has been left to languish in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. The bill's sponsor is Pennsylvania state Sen. Sean Logan.

H.B. 614 would require a dog warden or animal control officer to report the seizure of a dog including identifying information to the local police within 24 hours. A report would also be required to be prepared for each seized dog and the list made available to the public upon request. The bill would also extend from 48 to 96 hours the time dogs must be held in kennels before they are euthanized.  The bill was introduced by Rep. William C. Kortz II  and remains stuck in the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

S.B. 1417 was introduced this summer and would move the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement from the Dept. of Agriculture to the Dept. of Health. 

Sen. Andrew Dinniman is the bill's sponsor. The bill is in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

S.B. 50 amends the dog purchaser protections by basically extending the time periods for determining whether a puppy purchased from a kennel or pet store has a pre-existing illness, disease or a congenital condition.

Sen. Stewart Greenleaf is the sponsor.  This bill remains in the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee.