The Pennsylvania Senate has passed legislation aimed at addressing questions surrounding requiring dogs from out of state to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) in order to be boarded in the Commonwealth.
As currently written, dogs from out of state are exempt from the CVI requirement for out of state dogs entering a boarding kennel if they meet all of the following requirements:
(i) The dog has been boarded at the kennel within the previous 60 days.
(ii) The dog is privately owned.
(iii) Ownership of the dog does not transfer to another person after the dog enters the boarding kennel.
SB 82 will be considered by the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee at a meeting scheduled for 10:30am tomorrow, Friday, June 28. Those who may travel to Pennsylvania and could be impacted by the CVI requirements are encouraged to contact the members of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee – Committee members contact information can be found here (scroll down and click on the member’s name).
Talking Points:
While AKC appreciates the legislation, which provides some relief from CVI requirements for some out-of-state dogs, it will have an impact on folks from outside the state and traveling with their dog(s) who may either unplanned or unexpectedly need to board the dog(s) for a brief period during their visit.
As written, the requirements would create a hardship for any out-of-state visitor traveling to Pennsylvania with their dog who may need to unexpectedly board their dog even for just one day while in the state. The current language is arbitrary given that privately owned dogs in the Commonwealth temporarily (30 days or less) are exempted from the requirements being placed on that same dog should it unexpectedly need boarding.
While we understand the goal is to ensure the health of dogs entering the Commonwealth. Let the Committee members know that This hardship can easily be fixed while also ensuring that only healthy dogs enter boarding kennels in the Commonwealth with a simple amendment that changes the language so it allows dogs with updated vaccinations not experiencing symptoms of communicable diseases to be boarded temporarily in Pennsylvania without a CVI requirement.
Such language keeps in line with existing exemptions for privately or personally owned dogs temporarily in the Commonwealth found elsewhere in the law and eliminates any unintended consequences for someone traveling and visiting Pennsylvania either on vacation, visiting friends and family, or participating in already exempted activities who needs to board their dog unexpectantly or otherwise.
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 the impact the rights of dog owners and the dogs they love.