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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Thomas Caltagirone |
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House sends Caltagirone animal cruelty bill to governor
HARRISBURG, Aug. 19 –The House of Representatives today sent to the governor animal cruelty prevention legislation authored by state Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, D-Berks, which builds on sweeping reforms made last year to kennel and puppy mill operations by outlawing and imposing guidelines on several types of surgeries that are performed on Pennsylvania's dogs.
"This legislation has been years in the making," Caltagirone said. "Cases of surgical procedures that border on torture have been investigated time and again, but what law enforcement have needed most are clear and concise definitions of the timeline under which the surgeries should be performed to cause as little pain as possible, which procedures are merited and which are not."
As currently written, the state's animal cruelty law provides little to no oversight over what has become a common practice – dog breeders and owners, with no formal training, personally performing surgical procedures on the animals.
"Tail docking began as a way to prevent hunting dogs from contracting infection and disease when hunting in tall fields and brush. This procedure also preserves many breeds and is considered a tradition," he said.
"More recently, however, the demand is so high for purebred puppies, that some breeders actually perform back-to-back cesarean sections on the females before they are full term, to get the puppies faster," he said. "It is unfathomable how low many people in this industry will sink to in order to make a buck."
Caltagirone's bill (H.B. 39) would strengthen the animal cruelty law by prohibiting owners and breeders from performing debarking (cutting or destroying a dog’s vocal cords) and caesarean sections on the dogs in their care. Under the bill, owners would still be allowed to perform tail docking on dogs up to 5 days old, but only under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
Other improvements to the law under the bill include requiring owners to readily supply proof the surgeries were performed correctly under the scope of the law with detailed records of the procedure to dog wardens or Humane Society police officers for as long as visible surgical wounds appear on the dogs. Those records would include the name and license number of the veterinarian, and date and location of the procedure.
In addition, Caltagirone's bill would authorize personnel working in federally registered research clinics to perform caesarean sections, but only in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and while under the supervision of a veterinarian. It also would permit dog wardens to file cruelty charges against kennels when there is no Humane Society police officer to do so.
"I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for recognizing the need for changes to the animal cruelty law," Caltagirone said. "By preventing the surgeries that border on torture and putting into place some guidelines for those that help preserve many beautiful breeds of these animals, we can ensure the safety of both the dog and the breeder."
Organizations including the Humane Society of Berks County, Animal Rescue League of Berks County, and Main Line Animal Rescue support the legislation.
The governor is expected to sign the bill.