This week the Pennsylvania Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee amended and unanimously passed Senate Bill 907. This bill, supported by the AKC, establishes the Animal Welfare Board.
As noted in a previous alert, the Board will consist of representatives from both the PA Department of Agriculture and the State Attorney General’s office and a variety of stakeholders including the American Kennel Club and the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners.
During the development of the legislation, AKC GR had several conversations with Senator Yaw’s staff and encouraged inclusion of a sportsmen representative on the Board. Prior to final approval of the Committee, the bill was amended to add both the State Police and a representative from the Northeast Beagle Gundog Federation.
The Board will be empowered to review existing laws and regulations in Pennsylvania related to the keeping and handling of animals, as well as make recommendations for legislative and regulatory changes.
What You Can Do:
Now that the bill has been passed out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, we encourage you to do the following:
- Contact Senator Kim Ward, Majority Leader of the Senate and ask her to bring the bill up for a full Senate vote.
- Contact your Senator to voice your support of SB 907 and encourage them to contact the Majority Leader and request that the bill be brought to the Senate floor for approval.
- Contact Senator Gene Yaw and thank him for sponsoring this important legislation and working with the American Kennel Club.
For questions or more information on how you can get involved in Pennsylvania, contact doglaw@akc.org.