PRINTER'S NO. 172
No. 159 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY DeLUCA, ITKIN, DALEY, FOX, MARKOSEK, TRELLO, MELIO, B. SMITH, BELARDI, VROON, STABACK, KOSINSKI, DEMPSEY, BELFANTI, NOYE, CAWLEY, SCHULER, HERMAN, BILLOW, E. Z. TAYLOR, GIGLIOTTI, VEON, JOHNSON, PISTELLA, PRESTON AND OLASZ, JANUARY 30, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JANUARY 30, 1989
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), entitled 2 "An act relating to dogs, regulating the keeping of dogs; 3 providing for the licensing of dogs and kennels; providing 4 for the protection of dogs and the detention and destruction 5 of dogs in certain cases; regulating the sale and 6 transportation of dogs; declaring dogs to be personal 7 property and the subject of theft; providing for the 8 assessment of damages done to livestock, poultry and domestic 9 game birds; providing for payment of damages by the 10 Commonwealth in certain cases and the liability of the owner 11 or keeper of dogs for such damages; imposing powers and 12 duties on certain State and local officers and employees; 13 providing penalties; and creating a Dog Law Restricted 14 Account," further providing for offenses relating to dogs 15 used for law enforcement. 16 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 17 hereby enacts as follows: 18 Section 1. Section 602 of the act of December 7, 1982 19 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, is amended to read: 20 Section 602. Dogs used for law enforcement. 21 (a) Illegal to taunt law enforcement dogs.--It shall be 22 unlawful for any person to willfully and maliciously taunt, 23 torment, tease, beat, kick or strike any dog used by any
1 municipal or State police department or agency in the 2 performance of the functions or duties of such department or 3 agency or to [interfere with or meddle] commit any of the stated 4 acts in the course of interfering with any such dog used by the 5 department or agency or any member thereof in the performance of 6 the functions or duties of the department or agency or of such 7 officer or member. Any person who violates any of the provisions 8 of this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree. 9 (b) Illegal to torture certain dogs.--It shall be unlawful 10 for any person to willfully or maliciously torture, mutilate, 11 injure, disable, poison or kill any dog used by any municipal or 12 State police department or agency in the performance of the 13 functions or duties of the department or agency or to [interfere 14 with or meddle] commit any of the stated acts in the course of 15 interfering with any such dog used by the department or agency 16 or any member thereof in the performance of any of the functions 17 or duties of the department or agency or of such officer or 18 member. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this 19 [section is guilty of a summary offense] subsection commits a 20 misdemeanor of the first degree. 21 (c) Illegal to deny facilities or service due to police dog 22 use.--It shall be unlawful for the proprietor, manager or 23 employee of a theater, hotel, motel, restaurant or other place 24 of entertainment, amusement or accommodation, to refuse, 25 withhold from or deny to any person, due to the use of a working 26 police dog used by any State or municipal police department or 27 agency, either directly or indirectly, any of the 28 accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges of the 29 theater, hotel, motel, restaurant or other place of public 30 entertainment, amusement or accommodation. Any person who 19890H0159B0172 - 2 -
1 violates any of the provisions of this subsection commits a 2 misdemeanor of the third degree. 3 [(c)] (d) Quarantine of certain dogs not required.-- 4 Quarantine of dogs as required by law shall not apply to dogs 5 owned by any municipal or State police department or agency when 6 such dogs are under the direct supervision and care of a police 7 officer and subject to routine veterinary care. 8 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A11L03JLW/19890H0159B0172 - 3 -