Dear Friends,
This week, I want to share updates on several important animal welfare bills advancing in Harrisburg. As a member of the bipartisan Animal Protection Caucus, I am committed to strengthening Pennsylvania’s animal cruelty laws and ensuring that our Commonwealth leads with compassion and accountability.
I’ve introduced legislation this session aimed at improving the lives of animals, and I’m pleased to report that the House Judiciary Committee, on which I serve, recently advanced a series of significant animal protection bills—each addressing different forms of cruelty and neglect. I am proud to co-sponsor all of these bills.
A bill I introduced, House Bill 1716, would prohibit the non-therapeutic declawing of cats in Pennsylvania. Declawing, or onychectomy, involves amputating the last bone of each toe and is often performed for owner convenience rather than medical necessity. This procedure can result in chronic pain, infection, lameness, and behavioral issues such as aggression and litter box avoidance—issues that can tragically lead to euthanasia.
Under this bill, declawing would be allowed only for medically necessary, therapeutic purposes as determined by a licensed veterinarian. Many veterinary schools no longer teach the procedure, and an increasing number of practitioners have voluntarily stopped offering it. Enacting this legislation would bring Pennsylvania in line with several other states and municipalities that have already banned the practice.
I was proud to speak in committee in support of HB 1716. While disappointed that it passed along party lines—despite what I believe should be a bipartisan issue—I’m encouraged to see it move forward in the legislative process.
House Bill 608 (Rep. Isaacson) strengthens penalties for ear cropping performed by unlicensed individuals, a dangerous and painful procedure often done for cosmetic purposes. While current law requires that only licensed veterinarians perform this procedure, illegal ear cropping remains a serious problem.
This bill increases the offense to a third-degree misdemeanor for a first violation and a second-degree misdemeanor for repeat offenses. Improperly performed ear cropping can lead to severe pain, infection, and long-term trauma, and this legislation sends a clear message that such abuse will not be tolerated.
HB 879 (Rep. Isaacson) allows the Attorney General to prosecute felony-level animal cruelty cases when county District Attorneys are unable or unwilling to do so. Since the passage of Libre’s Law in 2017, which created felony penalties for egregious cruelty, over 6,000 animal cruelty cases have been filed across the Commonwealth.
While prosecution typically falls under county jurisdiction, not all District Attorney’s offices have the resources or experience to pursue complex cruelty cases. This bill provides a backstop for enforcement by permitting the Attorney General to act if the District Attorney agrees or fails to respond to a request.
HB 1932 (Sponsored by Reps. Shusterman and Klunk) establishes a new criminal offense for sexual crimes against animals, holding accountable individuals who sexually exploit, abuse, or profit from such acts. These cases are not only deeply disturbing on their own, but they are often connected to broader patterns of violence and exploitation, including child abuse and domestic violence.
This legislation ensures that perpetrators face real consequences and that Pennsylvania’s laws reflect the seriousness of these offenses.
House Bill 1933 (Sponsored by Rep. Christina Sappey) would require veterinarians, humane societies, and animal control agencies to report suspected animal cruelty to law enforcement. Modeled after successful laws in states like Kansas and Louisiana, this measure enables earlier intervention in abuse cases and recognizes the well-established link between animal abuse and public safety threats, including violent crime.
This bill is designed to strengthen community partnerships, increase accountability, and prevent cruelty before it escalates.
House Bill 1938 (Sponsored by Shusterman and Rep. Kate Klunk) would explicitly criminalize sexual contact with animals, as well as related offenses such as organizing, promoting, or observing such acts. This legislation enhances prosecution tools for law enforcement and builds on the reforms proposed in HB 1932.
It’s a critical step in protecting animals from some of the most extreme and abhorrent forms of abuse, while also addressing broader public safety concerns.
Together, these bills form a coordinated effort to modernize Pennsylvania's animal cruelty laws. By banning harmful practices and prosecuting severe cruelty, these measures reaffirm our shared commitment to protecting vulnerable animals.
As always, I remain dedicated to promoting ethical, evidence-based policies that improve the well-being of both animals and communities across our Commonwealth.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these bills—or how you can support their passage—please don’t hesitate to reach out.