The Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee has approved House Bill 2354 which addresses some concerns expressed by boarding kennels along the state borders.
Changes in the recent update to Pennsylvania’s Dog Law (Act 18 of 2023) requires a certified certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) from a dog’s home state in order to be boarded in Pennsylvania licensed boarding kennel. See previous alert.
HB 2354 addresses this by providing an exemption from the CVI requirement for dogs entering a boarding kennel if all of the following:
(i) The dog is owned by a resident of a state which directly borders Pennsylvania.
(ii) The dog is temporarily housed in a boarding kennel for less than 30 consecutive days.
(iii) The dog is privately owned, and the owner is able to provide proof of ownership.
(iv) Ownership of the dog does not transfer to another person after the dog enters the boarding kennel.
(v) The dog will return to the owner after the end of the boarding period.
AKC appreciates the legislation, which addresses the issue with bordering states. However, we are communicating with lawmakers that it still does not address or recognize the impact the CVI requirements may have on frequent travelers to the Commonwealth from other non-bordering state travelers across the United States visiting Pennsylvania who may need to board their dog for even one day.
The bill is now awaiting action by the full House of Representatives. AKC continues to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, who agree that the current exemption language is too limited.
The bill was also amended to address concerns raised by breed rescues related to quarantine requirements for out of state rescues coming to Pennsylvania breed rescue network members.
What you can do:
Those who are impacted by both the current CVI requirements and those proposed by HB 2354 are encouraged to contact your State Representative. You can find their contact information by visiting the AKC Legislative Action Center and typing in your address at akcgr.org/officials/
When calling, mention that you are a constituent and ask that they amend the bill by removing the bordering state requirement or adding language exempting those dogs owned by a resident from a state within 500 miles of the Pennsylvania border, which will at least help those in nearby states.
Additional updates will be provided when available. For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or email doglaw@akc.org.
AKC GR and our partner the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs will continue to monitor this and other legislation that impact the rights of dog owners and the dogs they love.