Rendell signs long-awaited dog law
10:59 AM EDT, October 10, 2008
The bill designed to make Pennsylvania's commercial dog breeding kennels more humane was signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell Thursday.
Nearly two years in the making, the law will require commercial kennels that handle 60 or more dogs a year to double the minimum size of cages, ban stacking the cages and require kennels to develop a plan for giving their dogs daily exercise.
One provision of the law takes effect immediately: Only veterinarians will be allowed to euthanize dogs. A Rendell spokesman said that provision is law now so that kennel owners who do not want to upgrade their facilities do not have the legal right to kill their dogs. Two Berks County kennel operators this summer legally shot 80 dogs rather than comply with demands to take the animals to a veterinarian.
Kennels that sell or transfer 60 or more dogs a year will have a year to make changes to their facilities to comply with the law, but the secretary of the Department of Agriculture can exempt kennels from the deadline.
-- Reporting by Tim Darragh, The Morning Call
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Legislature passes dog law overhaul
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