Wondering about the important of dog bite licenses in Pennsylvania? As personal injury lawyers typically helping victims of dog a bite, we are always looking for ways to make interactions with dogs more safe. One important component is dog licensing. Licensing one’s dog not only helps identify one’s dog, the revenues help fund inspections of kennels, which in turns helps canines get better attention and be less likely to be aggressive.
Funding of Pro-Dog Programs from Dog License Fees in PA
Dog bite licensing also funds the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement (BDLE), a division within the Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture. According to the BDLE website:
The Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement is charged with protecting Pennsylvania’s puppies and dogs, protecting consumers, and protecting our communities from dangerous and stray animals.
The bureau does this by ensuring the welfare of breeding dogs and puppies in kennels. They also regulate activities pertaining to dogs that are classified as dangerous and oversee annual licensure and rabies vaccinations for dogs.
No “Police Report.” In Pennsylvania, after a dog bite has occurred, it typically not the police that get involved. Rather, the county health department typically does the “police report.” This is because the Health Department / Dog Warden is best suited to track the animal’s vaccination history. It is important that these agencies receive adequate funding, to help ensure that animals are made safe, and to check the canine’s history following an attack.
Kennel Licensing
Kennels are also required to be licensed. This came up in the case of Com. v. Lopez, 908 A. 2d 991 – Pa: Commonwealth Court 2006, which held:
Section 206 of the Dog Law states: “A kennel license is required to keep or operate any establishment that keeps … 26 or more dogs of any age in any one calendar year.” 3 P.S. § 459-206. One cannot seriously argue that section 206 of the Dog Law requires a kennel license for establishments that are not “kennels.” Thus, any establishment that keeps twenty-six or more dogs must be a “kennel.” Here, Lopez’s husband was keeping more than twenty-six dogs; thus, although he did not have a kennel license, he needed one to be in compliance with section 206. Because Lopez’s husband needed a kennel license, his establishment must have been a “kennel.”
Call or email a Pittsburgh lawyer at our dog bite firm any time for a free consultation. We’ll talk about a dog license in PA or dog bite related claims in Pennsylvania.