PRINTER'S NO. 687
No. 654 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, HELFRICK, HECKLER, KUKOVICH, LEMMOND
AND FUMO, MARCH 7, 1997
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 7, 1997
AN ACT
1 Providing for pet sterilization; establishing the Pet Population
2 Control Fund in the State Treasury; providing for a Spay-
3 Neuter Companion Animals license plate; establishing the Pet
4 Population Control Program; providing for financial
5 incentives for pet sterilization and for penalties.
6 The General Assembly finds and declares that the purposes of
7 this act are to:
8 (1) Reduce the population of unwanted and stray dogs and
9 cats by encouraging the owners of pets to have them
10 permanently sexually sterilized, thereby reducing potential
11 threats to public health and safety posed by the growing
12 population.
13 (2) Provide financial assistance for pet sterilization.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Short title.
17 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pet
18 Population Control Act.
19 Section 2. Definitions.
1 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
2 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
3 context clearly indicates otherwise:
4 "Department." The Treasury Department of the Commonwealth.
5 "Fund." The Pet Population Control Fund established in
6 section 3.
7 "Pet." A dog or cat.
8 "Veterinary practice." The practice of veterinary medicine
9 by a person licensed under the act of December 27, 1974
10 (P.L.995, No.326), known as the Veterinary Medicine Practice
11 Act.
12 Section 3. Pet Population Control Fund.
13 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a special
14 fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Pet Population
15 Control Fund, to which shall be credited all funds collected
16 under this act from the Spay-Neuter Companion Animals license
17 plate sales.
18 (b) Spay-Neuter Companion Animals license plate.--Upon
19 application to the Department of Transportation of any person,
20 accompanied by a fee of $35 which shall be in addition to the
21 annual registration fee, the Department of Transportation shall
22 issue a Spay-Neuter Companion Animals license plate for a
23 passenger car or other vehicle with a registered gross weight of
24 not more than 9,000 pounds. The Pet Population Control Fund
25 shall receive $15 of each additional fee for this plate.
26 (c) Interest.--Any interest earned by moneys in the fund
27 shall accrue to the fund.
28 (d) Requisitions.--The department shall requisition from the
29 fund all available amounts necessary to provide a reimbursement
30 program for the sterilization of pets in this Commonwealth.
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1 (e) Expenses.--As much as may be necessary of the moneys in
2 the fund may be used to pay the expenses of the department in
3 administering this act.
4 Section 4. Pet Population Control Program.
5 (a) Establishment.--The department shall establish and
6 implement the Pet Population Control Program which shall provide
7 a reimbursement program for pet owners.
8 (b) Rules and regulations.--The department may promulgate
9 rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this act and
10 cause them to be displayed in a conspicuous location in all
11 veterinary practices, pet stores, public and private animal
12 shelters and kennels.
13 (c) Advertisement.--The Treasury Department and the
14 Department of Transportation shall advertise the reimbursement
15 program in a manner most likely to reach all pet owners. An
16 enclosure announcing the Spay-Neuter Companion Animals license
17 plate shall be included with the initial and subsequent annual
18 registration fee notices.
19 Section 5. Reimbursement of pet owners.
20 (a) Amount.--Provided sufficient moneys exist in the Pet
21 Population Control Fund, reimbursements shall be made to pet
22 owners for up to 50% of the veterinarian's fee to spay or neuter
23 a pet in an amount determined by the department, not to exceed
24 the following amounts:
25 (1) For cat neuters, $20.
26 (2) For cat spays, $35.
27 (3) For dog neuters, $40.
28 (4) For dog spays, $55.
29 (b) Procedure.--Any person submitting a pet for sexual
30 sterilization who wishes to receive reimbursement under this act
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1 shall:
2 (1) Be a resident of this Commonwealth.
3 (2) Certify in writing that he is the owner of the pet
4 or authorized by the owner to present the pet for the
5 procedure.
6 (3) Pay to the veterinary practice the fee for the
7 sterilization procedure.
8 (4) Submit an application for reimbursement to the
9 department.
10 (c) Application form.--The application form for
11 reimbursement shall include, but not be limited to, the
12 following:
13 (1) The name and address of the pet owner.
14 (2) The name and address of the veterinarian who
15 performed the sterilization procedure.
16 (3) A description of the pet as to species, breed and
17 sex.
18 (4) A brief description of the procedure performed.
19 (5) An affidavit by the veterinary practice stating that
20 the sterilization has been completed, the amount charged and
21 the name of the person who paid for the procedure.
22 (6) A copy of the receipt by the pet owner of the amount
23 paid for the procedure.
24 (7) The name of any other organization providing
25 financial assistance, in whole or in part, for the cost of
26 the sterilization procedure and the amount provided.
27 (d) Application for reimbursement.--Application for the
28 refund must be made no later than six months from the date of
29 the sterilization procedure.
30 Section 6. Penalty.
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1 (a) Offenses defined.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the
2 second degree if he knowingly:
3 (1) Furnishes the department with false information
4 concerning the actual amount paid for the sterilization
5 procedure by the pet owner or submits a fraudulent
6 application for reimbursement under this act.
7 (2) Furnishes any veterinary practice with inaccurate
8 information concerning the ownership of a pet submitted for a
9 pet sterilization procedure.
10 (b) Violation of Veterinary Medicine Practice Act.--
11 Providing false information under this act by a veterinarian
12 shall be a violation of the act of December 27, 1974 (P.L.995,
13 No.326), known as the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, and
14 shall render the veterinarian ineligible for further
15 participation in the reimbursement program.
16 (c) Reports by department.--The department shall report all
17 violations of this act to:
18 (1) Appropriate law enforcement authorities.
19 (2) The State Board of Veterinary Medicine.
20 Section 7. Effective date.
21 This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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