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SB 1242

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.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Michele Brooks and 9 co-sponsors

Pennsylvania bill creates statewide dog registry and updates quarantine/confinement rules to modernize 40-year-old dog law and improve public health tracking.

Referred to Agriculture & Rural Affairs
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 1242

Legislative bill overview

SB 1242 amends Pennsylvania's Dog Law to establish new requirements for dog quarantine procedures, regulations regarding dogs running at large, animal confinement standards, and creates a statewide dog registry system. The bill aims to modernize dog management and public health protections under the existing 1982 Dog Law framework.

Why is this important

Dog registries and quarantine procedures directly affect public health and safety by tracking disease exposure, preventing rabies spread, and identifying dangerous animals. This legislation impacts pet owners, municipalities enforcing animal control, veterinarians, and public health officials who manage disease prevention and animal welfare compliance.

Potential points of contention

  • Registry privacy concerns: A statewide dog registry requires collecting and maintaining personal information about pet owners, raising questions about data privacy, government tracking, and how the information will be stored and accessed
  • Enforcement burden and costs: Municipalities and counties would bear responsibility for implementing registry requirements and quarantine procedures, potentially creating unfunded compliance costs for local governments
  • Definitions of confinement: The bill's specifications for proper animal confinement standards may conflict with different living situations (urban apartments vs. rural properties) and could be seen as overly restrictive or vague depending on implementation details

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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