What Current Pennsylvania Kennel
Regulations Allow
At the present time, the following are
all permitted under Pennsylvania kennel regulations:
- No human socialization with the kennel dogs or the puppies
- No exercise -- a dog can be confined to a cage its entire life
- No resting periods between litters -- there are no limitations
on the number of litters a female can produce
- No minimum age before a dog starts breeding
- No running water at all kennel locations
- No heat or other environmental temperature controls
- No solid surfaces or solid resting areas in the cage. Cages
can have open mesh/wire floors where dogs spend their
entire lives.
- No prenatal feeding requirements
- No physical examination of dogs during inspections
- No monitoring of genetic defects
- No requirements for disposal of dog waste
- Cages can be cleaned while occupied by the dogs
- No acceptable form of euthanasia
- An individual to commit an act of animal cruelty and continue
to operate a kennel
- A dog to live its entire life tethered by a chain
Pennsylvania Commercial Kennel Statistics
In 2007, Pennsylvania licensed 1,667
commercial kennels. The total number of kept dogs for those
commercial kennels was 156,534. Of the 1,667 licensed kennels,
254 were K-5 licensed to have greater than 251 breeding dogs.
Lancaster County had 225 commercial kennels and 80 or 36% are
K-5 with over 251 dogs.