Pennsylvania HB 296: An Act providing for prohibition on sale of dogs and cats bred by certain persons, for duty of persons, kennels and animal testing facilities to offer dogs and cats for adoption and for whistleblower protection; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 240
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 296
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BIZZARRO, McNEILL, SHUSTERMAN, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI,
SANCHEZ, ISAACSON, KENYATTA, CERRATO, KHAN, GIRAL, STEELE,
HOHENSTEIN, DONAHUE, SCHLOSSBERG, HOWARD, DALEY, GREEN AND
MADDEN, JANUARY 23, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
JANUARY 23, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for prohibition on sale of dogs and cats bred by
certain persons, for duty of persons, kennels and animal
testing facilities to offer dogs and cats for adoption and
for whistleblower protection; and imposing penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Beagle
Freedom Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Animal testing facility." A facility, including a private
entity, State agency or an institution of higher education, that
confines and uses dogs or cats for research, education, testing
or other scientific or medical purposes. The term shall include
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any of the following:
(1) A kennel or facility subject to the Public Health
Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
provided for under 42 U.S.C. Ch. 6A (relating to public
health service).
(2) A kennel or facility subject to the provisions of 21
CFR Pt. 58 (relating to good laboratory practice for
nonclinical laboratory studies), 21 U.S.C. Ch. 9 (relating to
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) or 42 U.S.C. Ch. 6A.
(3) A research kennel licensed under the Dog law.
"Dealer." A person that in the regular course of business
for compensation or profit buys, sells, transfers, exchanges or
barters dogs and cats. The term does not include any of the
following:
(1) A person that transports companion animals in the
regular course of business as a common carrier.
(2) A person with a primary purpose of finding permanent
adoptive homes for companion animals.
"Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
Commonwealth.
"Dog Law." The act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225),
known as the Dog Law.
"Kennel." As defined in section 102 of the Dog Law.
"Police officer." As defined in section 102 of the Dog Law.
"Releasing agency." As defined in section 901-A of the Dog
Law.
"Research." As defined in section 102 of the Dog Law.
"Research kennel." As defined in section 102 of the Dog Law.
"State dog warden." As defined in section 102 of the Dog
Law.
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Section 3. Prohibition on sale of dogs and cats bred by certain
persons.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 908 of the Dog Law,
a dealer or kennel may not sell or offer for sale, including a
sale for research purposes, a dog or cat bred by a person that
has received any of the following from the United States
Department of Agriculture as authorized under 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54
(relating to transportation, sale, and handling of certain
animals):
(1) A citation for a direct or critical violation or
citations for three or more indirect or noncritical
violations during the two-year period before the procurement
of the dog or cat.
(2) Two consecutive citations for no access to a housing
facility before the procurement of the dog or cat.
Section 4. Duty of persons, kennels and animal testing
facilities to offer dogs and cats for adoption.
(a) Duties.--
(1) If a person, kennel or animal testing facility
specified under paragraph (2) does not have a need for a dog
or cat in its possession and the dog or cat does not pose a
health or safety risk to the public or the welfare of the dog
or cat, the person, kennel or animal testing facility shall
offer for release the dog or cat to a releasing agency for
eventual adoption or for adoption through a private
placement. In the case of an animal testing facility operated
by a State agency or an institution of higher education, the
animal testing facility may develop its own adoption program.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply only to the following:
(i) A person that raises cats regulated under
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Federal law as research animals or sells or transfers
cats to an animal testing facility.
(ii) A kennel that breeds dogs regulated under
Federal law as research animals.
(iii) A kennel that sells or transfers dogs to an
animal testing facility or a research kennel.
(iv) An animal testing facility.
(3) A person, kennel or animal testing facility subject
to this subsection shall keep the offer for release under
paragraph (1) available for a reasonable period of time for a
duration of up to 21 days before euthanizing a dog or cat
specified under paragraph (1).
(b) Implementation.--A person, kennel or