Animal cruelty laws in Pennsylvania have been strengthened with a new legislation that addresses how long dogs can remain outside tied up in cold weather.
Libre’s Law which came into effect this April states that dogs cannot be tied outside for over 9 hours in a day and that if the temperature drops below freezing or goes above 90 degrees, they cannot be remain outside for over half hour.
The law has been named after a puppy that was rescued last year from a breeder’s farm “hours from death” .
Gov. Tom Wolf noted that this was first winter wherein the new animal cruelty laws were being put in place.
He noted that for there have been many cases of “neglected and abused animals who suffered because of deplorable treatment” and the new laws will penalize anyone who abuses or neglects an animal.
New Law Lays Down Rules For Dogs Remaining Outside For First Time
Pennsylvania did not have any formal guidelines on how long dogs could be kept outside by their owners before the implementation of the Libre’s Law.
Its introduction makes it one of the 23 states that have placed limits on the length of time dogs can be tied outside according to a report by the Michigan State University Animal Legal and Historical Center.
Connecticut’s law is the most similar to Pennsylvania’s where dogs cannot be left tied up outside for more than 15 minutes in severe weather conditions.
The Pennsylvania law provides some leeway on the 30-minute ceiling, according to Cpl. Michael Spada, the animal cruelty officer for the Pennsylvania State Police.
Spada noted that the law was meant to act as a guide for promoting “responsible ownership,” with investigating officers having the flexibility to decide an animal was being mistreated depending on the details of the case.
Penalties Detailed For Owners Accused Of Animal Abuse
Under Libre’s Law, a person cited for neglect of a dog will receive a summary offense in case of no injuries. If the animal is injured the pet owner can be charged with third-degree misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to a year in prison.
Spada noted that the new law can hopefully help people understand when they must report any suspected cases of animal cruelty.
He stated that all state police troopers and local police officers are authorised to investigate allegations of animal cruelty allegation.
Enforcement Of Laws In Hands Of Police And Animal Welfare Groups
Spada pointed out that enforcement of animal cruelty laws in the state can be confusing.
Dog wardens in the country have the responsibility of inspecting kennels, dog bites and investigating pet owners without dog licenses but they don’t handle animal cruelty complaints.
Animal welfare groups such as the Humane Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals deal with animal cruelty complaints, augmenting the efforts of local and state police, according to Nicole Wilson, director of humane law enforcement for the Pennsylvania SPCA.
The SPCA covers 23 counties while the remaining is covered by smaller animal welfare groups
Only in four counties the SPCA and similar animal welfare groups are not approved to enforce animal cruelty laws according to Bonnie McCann, a spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture.
In the past five years, the state police has added trained animal cruelty liaisons who can deal with animal cruelty complaints and provide advice to other troopers when needed, McCann said.
