SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 172 PRINTER'S NO. 3261
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
SENATOR HELFRICK, AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, IN SENATE,
AS AMENDED, MARCH 27, 1990
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," EXEMPTING CERTAIN PUPPIES BEING TRAINED AS DOG <--
15 GUIDES FOR THE BLIND FROM LICENSING REQUIREMENTS; AND further
16 providing for offenses relating to dogs used for law
17 enforcement.
18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
19 hereby enacts as follows:
20 Section 1. Section SECTIONS 217 AND 602 of the act of <--
21 December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, is ARE <--
22 amended to read:
23 SECTION 217. GUIDE DOGS, HEARING DOGS, AID DOGS FOR THE <--
1 HANDICAPPED AND DOGS USED BY MUNICIPAL OR STATE
2 POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
3 (A) FEE EXEMPTIONS.--THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT RELATING TO
4 THE PAYMENT OF FEES AND OTHER CHARGES SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY
5 BLIND PERSON OWNING A GUIDE DOG OR ANY DEAF PERSON OWNING A
6 HEARING DOG OR ANY HANDICAPPED PERSON WHO USES A DOG FOR AID OR
7 ANY MUNICIPAL OR STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY USING A DOG
8 IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FUNCTIONS OR DUTIES OF SUCH DEPARTMENT
9 OR AGENCY. LICENSE TAGS FOR DOG GUIDES FOR THE BLIND, HEARING
10 DOGS FOR THE DEAF, AID DOGS FOR THE HANDICAPPED AND DOGS USED BY
11 ANY MUNICIPAL OR STATE AGENCY IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE
12 FUNCTIONS OR DUTIES OF SUCH DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY SHALL BE ISSUED
13 WITHOUT CHARGE.
14 (B) LICENSING EXEMPTION FOR PUPPIES BEING TRAINED TO BE DOG
15 GUIDES FOR THE BLIND.--NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION
16 201 OR ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT, PUPPIES THAT ARE
17 BROUGHT INTO THIS COMMONWEALTH FOR A PERIOD OF LESS THAN 18
18 MONTHS AS PART OF A FORMALIZED TRAINING TO BE DOG GUIDES FOR THE
19 BLIND SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
20 ACT.
21 Section 602. Dogs used for law enforcement.
22 (a) Illegal to taunt law enforcement dogs.--It shall be
23 unlawful for any person to willfully and maliciously taunt,
24 torment, tease, beat, kick or strike any dog used by any
25 municipal or State police department or agency in the
26 performance of the functions or duties of such department or
27 agency or to [interfere with or meddle] commit any of the stated
28 acts in the course of interfering with any such dog used by the
29 department or agency or any member thereof in the performance of
30 the functions or duties of the department or agency or of such
19890H0159B3261 - 2 -
1 officer or member. Any person who violates any of the provisions
2 of this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
3 (b) Illegal to torture certain dogs.--It shall be unlawful
4 for any person to willfully or maliciously torture, mutilate,
5 injure, disable, poison or kill any dog used by any municipal or
6 State police department or agency in the performance of the
7 functions or duties of the department or agency or to [interfere
8 with or meddle] commit any of the stated acts in the course of
9 interfering with any such dog used by the department or agency
10 or any member thereof in the performance of any of the functions
11 or duties of the department or agency or of such officer or
12 member. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this
13 [section is guilty of a summary offense] subsection commits a
14 misdemeanor of the first degree.
15 (c) Illegal to deny facilities or service due to police dog
16 use.--It shall be unlawful for the proprietor, manager or
17 employee of a theater, hotel, motel, restaurant or other place
18 of entertainment, amusement or accommodation, to refuse,
19 withhold from or deny to any person, due to the use of a working
20 police dog used by any State or municipal police department or
21 agency, either directly or indirectly, any of the
22 accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges of the
23 theater, hotel, motel, restaurant or other place of public
24 entertainment, amusement or accommodation. Any person who
25 violates any of the provisions of this subsection commits a
26 misdemeanor of the third degree.
27 [(c)] (d) Quarantine of certain dogs not required.--
28 Quarantine of dogs as required by law shall not apply to dogs
29 owned by any municipal or State police department or agency when
30 such dogs are under the direct supervision and care of a police
19890H0159B3261 - 3 -
1 officer and subject to routine veterinary care.
2 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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