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Few articles appear in this newspaper that create the remarkable response a story focusing on animals – either funny or sad — invites. And people who abuse animals are held in highest contempt, which is why animal advocates are rallying in Harrisburg today.

Activists from across Pennsylvania plan to fill Harrisburg’s Capitol Steps from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to show support for the passage of animal legislation.

Advocates have spent years trying to get Harrisburg’s elected officials to improve the lives of animals living in the state’s shelters, commercial breeding kennels and homes.

“Over the last five years we’ve heard many promises that, in some cases, amounted to lip-service and we’d like to see our elected officials live up to the guarantees they made,” said Jenny Stephens, director of the animal advocacy group North Penn Puppy Mill Watch.

Legislation relating to how long animals may be tethered outside, health and sanitation regulations in commercial breeding kennels, and eliminating carbon monoxide “gas chamber” euthanasia of shelter animals has long languished in the General Assembly or been diluted before being passed.

There are a number of sponsored bills sitting in committee or languishing on the floor in the state Capitol. They include:

n SB 1435 — to limit the number of hours in a day a dog may be tethered.

n SB 1417 — to move the Bureau of Dog Law out of the Department of Agriculture.

n SB 672 — to abolish gas chamber euthanasia in state shelters.

n SB 673 — to require shelters to hold felines for at least 48 hours, as dogs are, prior to euthanizing.

n SB 50  — to revise of the “Puppy Lemon Law.”

n HB 614 — to increase the length of time dogs must be held at shelters to 96 hours prior to euthanizing.

Steven Hoover, director of the League of Humane Voters’ Western Pennsylvania Chapter, supports Senate Bill 672 to outlaw carbon monoxide euthanasia in animal shelters. The bill was introduced in 2006, but has yet to be passed. “This General Assembly is lagging way behind other states,” Hoover said. “This rally is to try to get them in step with states that have made great strides in getting animal welfare legislation passed.”

As legislators end their summer break today, they will be met by rally attendees and their canine companions asking them to create animal welfare policy statements — essentially putting objectives on paper to ensure accountability.

Pennsylvania has thousands of facilities that breed dogs. Promises to improve the environment for dogs in puppy mills have been made by legislators, but few actual results have emerged from those promises.

“In this significant election year, here’s our chance to make sure legislators hear us: Pass meaningful animal welfare legislation,” said Helen Ebersole, president and co-founder of United Against Puppy Mills, one of several groups organizing the rally.

Legislators on the re-election bubble should consider the cold, hard facts. Protesters regularly gather outside the Linc to express outrage at dog-abuser Michael Vick’s playing time, while a twice-accused sexual offender walks quietly into his Pittsburgh stadium.

If legislators ignore that message, some may not be making the trip to Harrisburg next year.

 

 

 

 

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