The Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 2354 on Monday, June 3, 2024, at 11:15a. As introduced, HB 2354 seeks to address concerns expressed by boarding kennels along the state borders.
Those who are impacted by both the current Pennsylvania boarding kennel requirements and those proposed by HB 2354 are encouraged to contact the bill’s sponsors prior to Monday’s meeting. Thank them for being willing to consider this issue, and ask them to consider extending the exemption in this bill beyond states that border Pennsylvania (Scroll down for contact information).
Background:
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.
Having been contacted by both owners of Pennsylvania boarding kennels and frequent out-of-state dog owners whose closet boarding facility is across the state line, AKC has had numerous discussions with both the Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement and the Chairs of both the House and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee to address the issue.
HB 2354 seeks to address the issue 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 concerns expressed by many who live near Pennsylvania’s borders. However, we do recognize that the bill fails to address or recognize the impact the CVI requirements may have on frequent travelers to the Commonwealth from other non-bordering but nearby states or those traveling from anywhere in the United States to visit the Pennsylvania who may need to board their dog for even 1 day.
What you can do:
Contact the Sponsors prior to Monday’s meeting:
Those who are effected by both the current CVI requirements and those proposed by HB 2354 are encouraged to contact the bill’s sponsors. When calling, thank them for sponsor the bill but also 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:
Representative Kate Klunk:
kklunk@pahousegop.com
(717) 787-4790 or 717-630-8942
Representative Christina “Chris” Sappey:
repsappey@pahouse.com
(717) 772-9973 or (484)200-8264
Contact the members of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee ahead of Monday’s Committee meeting. Committee members contact information can be found here (scroll down and click on the member’s name).
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.