Dinniman seeks to protect dogs, consumers

WEST CHESTER – Residents looking to take home four- legged friends will have access to information on rescue organizations or others who sell dogs that comply with best practices, under a bill introduced by state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D- 19th, of West Whiteland.

“I remain a strong supporter of Victoria’s Law to ban the retail sale of dogs in Pennsylvania and end puppy mills,” Dinniman said. “Still, I think we must do more now to assist citizens in procuring dogs from reputable organizations and we can start by providing information on standards and which groups meet those standards.”

The legislation, introduced Wednesday, calls for the establishment of the Pennsylvania Good Canine Care Program under the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The program would post information online, including a series of benchmarks for self- assessment and improvement aimed at optimizing the health and welfare of dogs.

Such standards would be developed by the Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians ( ASV), based onthe minimum standards contained in the ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care.

Din ni man said these standards area“must” to adequately care for the health and well- being of dogs.

Any organization that sells or adopts out dogs in exchange for donations can then be listed on the website, provided they complete an application and a sworn affidavit showing they meet the benchmarks and comply with the guidelines. Each application shall include a $ 75 fee to pay for the maintenance of the database and updates to the standards.