An Act amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, in quarantine, dogs at large and confinement, providing for dog registry.

PRINTER'S NO. 1534
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1242
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY BROOKS, FARRY, MASTRIANO, COMITTA, TARTAGLIONE,
FONTANA, STEFANO, COLLETT, SANTARSIERO AND COSTA,
MARCH 23, 2026
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 23, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), entitled
"An act relating to dogs, regulating the keeping of dogs;
providing for the licensing of dogs and kennels; providing
for the protection of dogs and the detention and destruction
of dogs in certain cases; regulating the sale and
transportation of dogs; declaring dogs to be personal
property and the subject of theft; providing for the
abandonment of animals; providing for the assessment of
damages done to animals; providing for payment of damages by
the Commonwealth in certain cases and the liability of the
owner or keeper of dogs for such damages; imposing powers and
duties on certain State and local officers and employees;
providing penalties; and creating a Dog Law Restricted
Account," in quarantine, dogs at large and confinement,
providing for dog registry.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225),
known as the Dog Law, is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 306. Dog registry.
(a) Establishment.--Within one year of the effective date of
this subsection, the department shall establish and administer a
registry containing information on dogs that are reported to the
department as lost or found dogs. The database shall be known as
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the Lost and Found Dog Registry.
(b) Submission of information.--Only information on dogs
reported as lost by a resident of this Commonwealth, or an
individual who is not a resident if the dog was lost while in
this Commonwealth, shall be added to the registry in accordance
with procedures developed by the department. The reporting shall
be made available through a 24-hour-response telephone
number operated by the department and by accessing a direct-
response email on the publicly accessible Internet website
operated by the department under subsection (c).
(c) Access to registry.--The department shall continuously
compile information reported to the department under subsection
(b) and shall provide the information on the registry to the
public on a publicly accessible Internet website operated by the
department. The website shall include a 24-hour telephone number
and the email address monitored by the department to receive
information under this subsection. The department may not charge
a fee for access to the registry.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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