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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Harry Readshaw |
  
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Readshaw joins rally in support of new dog protection laws
HARRISBURG, May 15 – State Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny, joined dozens of colleagues and hundreds of supporters Wednesday at a rally on the state Capitol steps in support of a newly unveiled proposal to outlaw surgical procedures being performed on dogs by other than a licensed veterinarian.
Readshaw is a co-sponsor of the measure (H.B. 2532) that would prohibit dog
owners other than certified vets from performing tail docking on dogs more than
three days old, debarking (cutting or destroying a dog’s vocal cords) and
cesarean sections.
Under current law, owners and breeders with no formal training can legally perform the procedures.
The rally, to which many supporters brought along their own dogs, also urged passage of two other bills co-sponsored by Readshaw. The measures would set minimum standards for the safety, health and care of dogs raised by and housed at commercial kennels in Pennsylvania and hold owners responsible for the bill for their seized animals’ care while they are at an animal shelter.
"The protection of dogs from unlicensed surgical practices is a matter of common sense," said Readshaw. "Often the surgeries performed by owners take place in unsanitary conditions, anesthesia is improperly administered or not used at all, and too often procedures like the tail docking are done after the dog’s first three days of life. By then it is more painful and there’s more of a chance for infection or other complication.
"And cutting a dog’s vocal chords; that’s just plain inhumane."
Readshaw said that support for better protection of dogs at kennels, especially at poorly run "puppy mills," has been growing steadily on both sides of the aisle.
"I think the support has reached critical mass and hopefully we’ll finally see something enacted this year," he added.
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