The state should take better care of its people by taking better care of its dogs
My name is Mary, and I am an advocate. A voice for those without one: Pennsylvania’s dogs. The Pennsylvania General Assembly will spend the month of June deciding what Pennsylvania’s priorities will be as they craft the commonwealth’s budget. Along with deciding how much money each state agency will receive, legislators will also pass legislation on what those agencies should be focusing on.
On behalf of Pennsylvania’s dogs (and frankly, all Pennsylvanians), let me tell you what the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture needs out of this budget: adequate funding to protect dogs and humans in the commonwealth.
The Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement within the Department of Agriculture was created to be a self-sustaining bureau funded by individual dog license and kennel license fees. License fees have not increased in 26 years and kennels fees have not increased in a shocking 57 years. Pennsylvania’s current dog licensing fee is among the lowest rate in the country, and kennels that breed and sell dogs pay an annual licensing fee that is far less than the price of even one puppy sale.
The primary revenue has remained the same, while the responsibilities and expenses have more than doubled. This has caused significant short staffing in critical locations. For example: Lancaster County, where there are more than quadruple the number of breeding kennels than any other part of Pennsylvania, operates without a dog warden.
The Dog Law fund can no longer support operations on its own
and now requires support from taxpayer dollars. A modest increase to both the individual dog license fees and kennel license fees would easily solve the funding issues faced by the bureau and preserve vital work.
Why does this matter? Pennsylvania’s dog wardens protect dogs and puppies living in kennels, protect communities from dangerous dogs, prevent the spread of diseases (some of which can be spread to humans) and help stray dogs find their way home or to a shelter.
Pennsylvania is home to some of the toughest kennel standards in the nation. Combined with these strict standards, Pennsylvania maintains transparency by
posting their kennel inspection reports online.
Only the wardens ( which, again, Lancaster county does not have) can inspect kennels without a search warrant. They are the eyes in kennels, and the only ones who have the ability to make animal cruelty referrals. The bureau is also the only agency that maintains a statewide database of dangerous dogs. They register, monitor and track these dangerous animals to prevent further attacks and fatalities.
The lack of sufficient funding for the bureau affects dogs, of course, by removing an agency that ensures humane treatment. But it also affects everyone, not just dogs and dog-breeders and owners, by creating a dangerous environment.
This is what’s at risk: the health and well-being of dogs in kennels, who sometimes face horrific conditions, which would be worse without the wardens; the care of sick puppies in kennels, whose illness can lead to heartache or, worse, health risk, for buyers; the capture of dangerous dogs at large and the possibility of justice for those who suffer from dog attacks; kennel inspections and accountability for dog breeders; and the prevention of illegal puppy mills.
This is what a fully-funded bureau prevents: increased cost and workload for local governments, who have to take up some of its responsibilities themselves, and the efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
As a stakeholder of a state licensed animal shelter, I look at this fee increase as an asset to preserving the future of animal welfare in Pennsylvania, by ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our dogs and our communities. This is a small price to pay for such an effect.
I’m calling on Senator Elder A. Vogel and Representative Dan Moul, as chairmen of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committees in the House and the Senate, to be the voice for Pennsylvania’s dogs. Lead your fellow legislators to increase the kennel license and individual dog license fees. These fees have remained stagnant for decades and as a result, public safety and animal welfare is at significant risk.