Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Lauds Approval of Commercial Kennel Canine Health Regulations

Regulations Raise Bar for Dogs Bred, Living in Commercial Dog Kennels

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding thanked the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, or IRRC, for today approving the final regulations governing ventilation, humidity, lighting and flooring in commercial kennels.

Pending approval from the Attorney General's office, the regulations are expected to be published by October and take effect July 1, 2011.

Commercial kennels are those that breed dogs and that sell dogs to dealers or pet stores, or sell more than 60 dogs during a year.

"Approval of these regulations now means there is no doubt about what breeders who own commercial kennels need to do to comply with the law, which raises the standard of care for dogs in commercial kennels even higher," Redding said. "My thanks to IRRC for their work to carefully review the regulations and arrive at this decision."

The regulations mandate that kennels are adequately ventilated, that excessive humidity levels be reduced, and that temperatures be continuously monitored 24 hours a day. They also require that all commercial kennel operators must consult with a professional engineer to design and certify their ventilation system to ensure it complies with the law.

Dogs must also be monitored for heat-related stress, and veterinarians must be consulted if temperatures become excessive.  

The adoption of these regulations is the latest action by the Rendell administration to ensure Pennsylvania has the strongest Dog Law in the nation, and continues the progress made to improve the lives of dogs in the Commonwealth's commercial kennels.

Governor Rendell, with support from the General Assembly and other stakeholders, signed Act 119, the new Dog Law in October 2008, which provides protections well beyond those that breeding dogs had in the past.

For more information about the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement or to view kennel inspection reports, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us, click on "Bureaus, Commissions & Councils," and select "Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement."

Tips about unsatisfactory or illegal kennels can be reported confidentially by using the Department's Web complaint form, or calling 1-877-DOG-TIP1.

Media contact: Justin Fleming, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture