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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 animal testing
facility under subsection (a) may enter into an agreement with a
releasing agency to implement the requirements under subsection
(a).
(c) Liability.--A person, kennel or animal testing facility
under subsection (a) shall not be liable for civil damages for a
dog or cat adopted under subsection (a).
(d) Annual reports.--A person, kennel or animal testing
facility under subsection (a) shall annually submit a report to
the department stating the number of dogs and cats adopted under
subsection (a) and the name of each releasing agency utilized by
the person, kennel or animal testing facility.
Section 5. Recordkeeping requirements for persons and kennels
engaged in the raising of dogs or cats for research
purposes.
(a) Requirements.--
(1) A person or kennel specified under paragraph (2) and
engaged in the raising of dogs or cats for research purposes
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shall keep accurate records of all of the following:
(i) A dog or cat purchased, acquired, owned, held or
otherwise in the possession or control of the person or
kennel.
(ii) A dog or cat transported, euthanized, sold or
otherwise disposed of during the two-year period from the
date of the purchase, acquisition, transfer or
disposition of the dog or cat.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply only to the following:
(i) A person that raises cats regulated under
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.
(b) Records.--The records under subsection (a) shall include
all of the following:
(1) The name and address of the person from whom a dog
or cat was purchased or acquired and the person's license or
registration number if the person is licensed or registered
under 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54 (relating to transportation, sale, and
handling of certain animals).
(2) The date on which a dog or cat was purchased or
acquired.
(3) The name and address of the person to whom a dog or
cat was sold, given or transferred and the person's license
or registration number if the person is licensed or
registered under 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54.
(4) The official United States Department of
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Agriculture's tag number or tattoo assigned to a dog or cat
under 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54.
(5) A description of a dog or cat, including all of the
following:
(i) The species and breed or type.
(ii) The sex.
(iii) The date of birth or approximate age.
(iv) The color and distinctive markings.
(6) The date and number of offspring born of a dog or
cat while in the possession or under the control of the
person or kennel.
(7) Medical care and vaccinations provided to a dog or
cat.
(8) The date and method of disposition of a dog or cat,
including the sale, death and cause of death of the dog or
cat if the disposition is not euthanasia, adoption or
transfer.
(9) The number of dogs or cats in the possession of the
person or kennel that the person or kennel does not need.
(10) The number of dogs or cats described under
paragraph (9) that have been offered for transfer to a
releasing agency for eventual adoption or for adoption
through private placement.
(c) Inspections.--A person or kennel subject to subsection
(a) shall ensure that the records under subsection (a) are
legible and the records shall be open to inspection and may be
copied by an employee of the department, State dog warden or
police officer.
(d) Submission.--A person or kennel subject to subsection
(a) shall annually submit a summary of the records under
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subsection (a) to the department in a form determined by the
department.
Section 6. Whistleblower protection.
An employee of a person, dealer, kennel, animal testing
facility, private entity, State agency or institution of higher
education subject to this act shall be deemed to be an employee
under the act of December 12, 1986 (P.L.1559, No.169), known as
the Whistleblower Law, with regard to a good faith report of a
potential violation of this act, the Dog Law or 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54
(relating to transportation, sale, and handling of certain
animals). A dealer, kennel, animal testing facility, private
entity, State agency or institution of higher education subject
to this act shall be deemed to be an employer under the
Whistleblower Law with regard to a good faith report of a
potential violation of this act, the Dog Law or 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54.
Section 7. Annual report.
No later than July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter, the
department shall submit a report summarizing the information
collected under this act and complaints, enforcement activities
and penalties authorized under this act to the following:
(1) The chair and minority chair of the Agriculture and
Rural Affairs Committee of the Senate.
(2) The chair and minority chair of the Agriculture and
Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.
Section 8. Penalties.
A violation of this act shall constitute a misdemeanor of the
third degree.
Section 9. Regulations.
The department may promulgate regulations as necessary to
implement this act.
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Section 10. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 120 days.
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