Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill 907. This bill, supported by the American Kennel Club (AKC), establishes the Animal Welfare Board to review existing laws and regulations in Pennsylvania related to the keeping and handling of animals, and to make recommendations for legislative and regulatory changes.
While there were efforts by animal rights groups to change the make-up of the board, those proposed amendments did not pass.
As noted in a previous alert, the Board will consist of representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the State Attorney General’s office, the State Police, and a variety of stakeholders, including AKC, the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners, and the Northeast Beagle Gundog Federation.
AKC continues to work with the sponsor’s office and key members to promote this legislation and will provide further information on the bill once it is assigned to a House committee.
For questions or more information on how you can get involved in Pennsylvania, contact doglaw@akc.org.