An Act providing for prohibited and required actions regarding pet shop-kennels for dogs, cats and rabbits; imposing duties on the Department of Agriculture; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO. 1462
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1190
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY MALONE, HAYWOOD, HUGHES, PENNYCUICK, FONTANA,
PISCIOTTANO AND COMITTA, FEBRUARY 27, 2026
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 27, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for prohibited and required actions regarding pet
shop-kennels for dogs, cats and rabbits; imposing duties on
the Department of Agriculture; 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 Pet Shop-
Kennel 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:
"Agent." A person, as defined in section 102 of the Dog Law,
who is authorized by the Dog Law to process applications for dog
license certificates and issue dog license certificates and
tags.
"Boarding kennel." As follows:
(1) An establishment available to the general public
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where a dog, cat or rabbit is housed for compensation by the
day, week or a specified or unspecified time.
(2) The term includes:
(i) A boarding facility operated by a licensed
doctor of veterinary medicine whether or not the boarding
facility is on the same premises as a building or
structure subject to the provisions of the Veterinary
Medicine Practice Act.
(ii) An establishment available to the general
public that, for consideration, takes control of a dog,
cat or rabbit from the owner for a portion of a day for
the purposes of exercise, day care or entertainment of
the dog, cat or rabbit.
(3) The term does not include:
(i) A kennel where the practice of veterinary
medicine is performed if the kennel is covered by the
provisions of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act.
(ii) An establishment engaged only in the grooming
or training of dogs, cats or rabbits.
(4) For the purpose of this term, each time that a dog,
cat or rabbit enters the kennel, the animal shall be counted
as one dog, cat or rabbit.
"Cat." The genus and species known as Felis catus.
"Dealer." A person that:
(1) publicly or privately sells or offers for sale a
dog, cat or rabbit belonging to another person for
consideration, including a fee, commission or percentage of
the sale price;
(2) transfers dogs, cats or rabbits at wholesale for
resale to another person; or
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(3) offers or maintains dogs, cats or rabbits at
wholesale for resale to another person.
"Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
Commonwealth.
"Dog." The genus and species known as Canis familiaris.
"Dog Law." The act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225),
known as the Dog Law.
"Establishment." As follows:
(1) The premises on, in or through which a dog, cat or
rabbit is kept, bred, harbored, boarded, sheltered,
maintained, sold, given away, exchanged or in any way
transferred.
(2) The term encompasses all of the following on, in or
through which any of the activities under paragraph (1) take
place:
(i) The home, homestead, place of business or
operation of a person, including a dealer, which includes
all of the land, property, housing facilities or any
combination of land, property or housing facilities of
the person.
(ii) All of the individuals residing in or on the
establishment.
(iii) A person, organization, business or operation
which utilizes offsite or rescue network kennel homes to
keep, maintain, breed, train, harbor, board, shelter,
sell, give away, adopt, exchange or in any way transfer
dogs, cats or rabbits.
(3) The term does not include a gathering of dog, cat or
rabbit owners in which dogs, cats and rabbits remain in the
custody and care of their owners, including:
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(i) A hotel or campground.
(ii) A place for grooming or training.
(iii) An event, including a dog, cat or rabbit show
or performance event, a field trial or a hunting event.
"Housing facility." A structure that provides animals with
shelter, protection from the elements and protection from
temperature extremes.
"Humane society or association." A nonprofit society or
association that:
(1) Is duly incorporated in accordance with 15 Pa.C.S.
Ch. 53 Subch. A (relating to incorporation generally) for the
purpose of the prevention of cruelty to animals.
(2) Has a licensed physical kennel facility that can
house a minimum of 10 animals.
(3) Is not located on a residential property.
"Kennel." As follows:
(1) For dogs, either of the following:
(i) An establishment in or through which at least 26
dogs are kept or transferred in a calendar year.
(ii) A boarding kennel.
(2) For cats or rabbits, either of the following:
(i) An establishment:
(A) in or through which cats or rabbits are kept
or transferred; and
(B) for which a license is required under
applicable law, based on specified numbers of cats or
rabbits or other criteria, prior to January 1, 2027.
(ii) A boarding kennel.
"Licensed doctor of veterinary medicine." A person who is
currently licensed in accordance with the Veterinary Medicine
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Practice Act.
"Owner." When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, cat or
rabbit, a person that:
(1) has a right of property in the dog, cat or rabbit;
(2) keeps or harbors the dog, cat or rabbit;
(3) has the dog, cat or rabbit in the person's care; or
(4) permits the dog, cat or rabbit to remain on or about
the premises occupied by the person.
"Pet shop-kennel." A kennel or person that acquires and
sells dogs, cats or rabbits for the purpose of resale, whether
as owner, agent or consignee, and sells or offers to sell the
dogs, cats or rabbits on a retail basis.
"Police officer." As follows:
(1) An individual:
(i) who is employed or elected by this Commonwealth
or a municipality of this Commonwealth; and
(ii) whose duty includes preserving the peace,
making arrests or enforcing the law.
(2) The term includes a constable or deputy constable.
"Rabbit." As follows:
(1) A domesticated or pet rabbit.
(2) The term does not include a rabbit intended for
human consumption.
"Rescue network kennel." A kennel that utilizes rescue
network kennel homes with the goal of ultimately transferring
the dog, cat or rabbit to a permanent owner or keeper through
any means of transfer.
"Rescue network kennel home." An establishment to which a
rescue network kennel assigns a dog, cat or rabbit until the
dog, cat or rabbit is ultimately transferred to a permanent
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home.
"State dog warden." An employee of the department whose
primary duty is to enforce the Dog Law and the regulations
promulgated in accordance with the Dog Law.
"Veterinary Medicine Practice Act." The act of December 27,
1974 (P.L.995, No.326), known as the Veterinary Medicine
Practice Act.
Section 3. Licenses and conduct.
(a) Issuance or renewal prohibited.--
(1) For dogs, the department may not issue or renew a
pet shop-kennel license under the Dog Law after December 31,
2026.
(2) For cats and rabbits, a license required under
applicable law for a kennel may not be issued or renewed
after December 31, 2026.
(b) Construction.--
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), subsection (a) shall not
be construed to prohibit a pet shop-kennel from offering
space to a humane society or association or a rescue network
kennel for the purpose of showcasing adoptable animals to the
public.
(2) Fees for the showcasing of adoptable animals under
paragraph (1), including adoption fees, may not be paid to
the pet shop-kennel.
(c) Required and prohibited actions.--
(1) This subsection applies to:
(i) For dogs, a person holding a pet shop-kennel
license in accordance with the Dog Law, which was issued
or renewed prior to January 1, 2027.
(ii) For cats and rabbits, a pet shop-kennel
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operating under a license required under applicable law
for a kennel, which was issued or renewed prior to
January 1, 2027.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2027, a person or pet shop-
kennel described under paragraph (1):
(i) Shall immediately cease and desist from
operating the kennel, including buying, exchanging,
selling, offering for sale, giving away or in any way
transferring cats or rabbits.
(ii) Except as permitted under subsection (b)(1),
may not acquire additional dogs, cats or rabbits or
increase the number of dogs, cats or rabbits in the
kennel by any means, including breeding.
(iii) Must permit a State dog warden, a police
officer and any other person otherwise authorized by law
to inspect the kennel without a warrant in order to
determine compliance with an order of the department, any
relevant court order and any provision of this act.
Section 4. Penalties.
(a) Offense defined.--Failure to comply with this act, in
addition to any other penalty prescribed by law, may result in
imposition by the department of an administrative penalty of not
less than $100 nor more than $500 per day for each violation.
Each dog, cat or rabbit shall count as one violation.
(b) Grading.--A violation of this act shall constitute a
misdemeanor of the third degree.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
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