An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to emergency management services, providing for emergency preparedness for owned animals.

PRINTER'S NO. 1084
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 995
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, PROBST, SANCHEZ, HANBIDGE, GIRAL,
HOWARD, HOHENSTEIN, HILL-EVANS, SCHLOSSBERG, STEELE AND
CERRATO, MARCH 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 24, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
to emergency management services, providing for emergency
preparedness for owned animals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 7715. Emergency preparedness for owned animals.
(a) Declaration of purpose.--The purpose of this section is
to establish and maintain a Statewide disaster plan and response
capability for owned animals affected by disasters.
(b) Authority.--The agency shall:
(1) Administer the provisions of this section.
(2) Allocate money in accordance with this section.
(3) Include in the Commonwealth Emergency Management
Plan provisions for the protection of owned animals in this
Commonwealth in disasters.
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(c) Eligible disaster funding.--The agency shall provide
funding on an annual basis to an animal response team approved
by the agency for planning, developing and maintaining animal
response and rescue capabilities consistent with standards and
guidelines established by the agency.
(d) Recordkeeping and audit.--The agency shall require an
animal response team receiving money under this section to
retain and provide, upon request, records that the agency
believes are necessary to ensure that money is spent in
accordance with this section.
(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
"Owned animals." The term shall include any animal kept as a
pet, agricultural commodity or pursuant to a permit issued by
the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The term shall not include
wildlife.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0995PN1084 - 2 -
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