Dozens of animal protection bills have been introduced this session. Please make sure that your state legislators know that you want them to sign onto and SUPPORT ALL anti-cruelty bills and OPPOSE the ones that will hurt animals.
Each bill has a brief description. For more in-depth information about the bill, check the linked fact sheet or linked co-sponsorship memo. It is important to contact your state legislators requesting their support of anti-cruelty legislation in Pennsylvania again and again, especially when bills are moving. Please also share this link with them so they can bookmark it as a handy reference. Sign up to be alerted when action is needed: http://bit.ly/signupHPA
Animal Protection Caucus: Pennsylvania has an Animal Protection Caucus formed in the 21/22 legislative session. The Animal Protection Caucus is a bipartisan collaboration of Representatives and Senators determined to lead and support animal welfare legislation in Pennsylvania. Ask your legislators to join!
Senate Bills to support:
SB 82: Service Dog License Fee Exemptions. Introduced by Senator Kristen Phillips Hill. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
SB 658: Combating Cruel Testing on Dogs and Cats. Will defund painful dog and cat testing, Introduced by Senator Doug Mastriano Co-Sponsorship Memo
SB 701, 702 703 Protection of Dogs and Cats – protecting animals being bred and used for research in Animal Testing Laboratories. Introduced by Senator Carolyn Comitta. Co-sponsorship Memo.
SB 746: Dog Law Modernization Bill: Updates to PA Dog Law: Introduced by Senator Elder Vogel. Co-sponsorship Memo, Passed the full Senate Vote count – passed the PA House. Vote count Signed into law by Governor Shapiro.
SB 759: Animal Cruelty Investigation Fund: creates a fund to lessen the burden on animal protection organizations by providing support for cruelty investigations. Introduced by Senator Katie Muth and Senator John Kane. Co-sponsorship Memo
Senate Bills to Oppose:
SB 785: Animal Welfare Board: Unfortunately, this bill is currently drafted with majority industry support, rather than animal welfare/protection organizations and experts. Introduced by Senator Gene Yaw. Co-Sponsorship Memo. Click here to read the current list of groups.
House Bills to support:
HB 222: Animal Abuse – Ear Cropping – increasing the penalty for illegal ear-cropping. Introduced by Representative MaryLouise Isaacson. Co-sponsorship Memo.
HB 352: Safeguarding Renters from Predatory Pet Deposits. Introduced by Representative MaryLouise Isaacson. Co-sponsorship Memo.
HB 449: Animal Kidnapping: tougher penalties for intentionally selling or taking any dog, cat, equine animal, swine, or cattle. Introduced by Rep. Brandon J. Markosek Co-sponsorship Memo
HB 508: Banning the Declawing of Cats. This bill would ban declawing for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons, as well as for reasons of convenience. Introduced by Representative Liz Hanbidge and Representative Steven R. Malagari. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 526: Disclosure of Certain Information Regarding Dogs Offered for Sale at Pet Shops. Introduced by Representative Ed. Neilson. Co-sponsorship Memo.
HB 529 Animal Cruelty: Transporting Dogs: Introduced by Representative Jeanne McNeil. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 530: Restrictions on Ownership: requiring convicted animal abusers to be prohibited from owning, possessing, controlling, or working with animals for at least two years. Introduced by Rep. Jeanne McNeill. Co-sponsorship Memo.
HB 607 The Animal Welfare Cooperation Act: permitting the Attorney General to investigate and institute criminal proceedings for a felony offense regarding cruelty to animals. Introduced by Representative MaryLouise Isaacson. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 660: Protecting our Pets: Creates a comprehensive framework for the sale, solicitation, and negotiation of pet insurance policies within our state, leaving no space for hidden fees or confusion of coverage. Introduced by Representative. Mike Schlossberg. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 846: Victoria’s Law: stops the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores; protects consumers from misleading sales tactics; and requires advertisers to include license numbers on their advertisements so that consumers have access to information on both responsible and unscrupulous breeders and so that enforcement officers can easily identify unlicensed breeders. Introduced by Rep. Jeanne McNeill. Co-Sponsorship Memo
HB 1052: License Fee Exemption for Detection Dogs: Introduced by Representative Steve Malagari. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 1108: Pet Custody in Divorce Cases. Introduced by Representative Anita Kulik. Co-Sponsorship Memo. Status: Passed House Judiciary Committee.
HB 1112: Animal-Drawn Carriages: Introduced by Representative Melissa Schusterman. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 1114: Banning Traveling Animal Acts in Pennsylvania – prevents the transportation of elephants, big cats, bears, primates, kangaroos, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, zebras, tapirs, seals, sea lions and sharks for public performances. Representative Melissa L. Shusterman. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 1210 Animal Abuse in Domestic Situations: amending the Protection from Abuse Act in order to give judges the ability to order the defendant to refrain from abusing the victim’s pets. Introduced by Rep. Christina D. Sappey and Rep. Natalie Mihalek. Co-Sponsorship Memo. Status: Passed the House.
HB 1318 1319 1320 Beagle Freedom Bills: Protecting animals being bred and used for research in Animal Testing Laboratories. Introduced by Representative Ryan A. Bizzarro, Representative Jeanne McNeill and Representative Melissa L. Shusterman. Co-sponsorship Memo.
HB 1324 Prohibiting Wildlife Trafficking in Pennsylvania. Introduced by Representative Leanne Krueger. Co-Sponsorship Memo.
HB 1451: Protecting the Public from Contact with Wild Animals. Introduced by Representative Hohenstein. Co-Sponsorship Memo. Passed House Game and Fish Committee and PA House: Vote Count.
HB 1475: and HB 2139 Banning Cruel, Live Pigeon Shoots. Introduced by Representative Perry Warren. Co-Sponsorship Memo., Assigned to House Game and Fish Committee
HB 1522: An Act establishing the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Fund. Introduced by Representative Tarah Probst. Co-Sponsorship Memo. Passed the House. Vote Count.
House Resolutions to support:
HR 87 Conservation Corridors: Introduced by Representative Mary Jo Daley and Representative Jason Ortitay Co-sponsorship Memo. PASSED!
House Bills to oppose:
HB 567: Legalizing ownership of Exotic Pocket Pets. Introduced by Representative Zimmerman. Co-Sponsorship Memo. CDC Warning: Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Pet Hedgehogs.
You may be the decisive factor in the way your legislator votes, so please contact your state legislators to ask them to support these bills! Legislators often want to know what Humane PA’s position is on bills, so you can also send them this link to bookmark for an easy reference tool for them.
The Path from Idea to Bill to Law in Pennsylvania!
For information on the outcome of bills affecting animals in previous sessions check our Archive section.
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