Full Statute Name:  Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes. Title 3 P.S. Agriculture. Chapter 8. Dogs and Cats. Dog Law. Article III. Quarantines, Dogs at Large, Confinement. § 459-301. Quarantines

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Primary Citation:  3 P.S. § 459-301 Country of Origin:  United States Last Checked:  January, 2024 Alternate Citation:  PS ST 3 P.S. § 459-301 Date Adopted:  1983 Historical: 
Summary: This Pennsylvania statute outlines the procedures and regulations relative to the state rabies quarantine procedure for dogs. It also provides that any police officer or state dog warden may humanely kill any dog running at large in a rabies quarantined area without any liability for damages for such killing.

A quarantine may be established by any State dog warden, licensed doctor of veterinary medicine having the approval of a State dog warden or any licensed doctor of veterinary medicine employed by the department or State or county health department. Any State dog warden, licensed doctor of veterinary medicine having the approval of a State dog warden or any licensed doctor of veterinary medicine employed by the department or State or county health department may enforce a quarantine whenever it is deemed necessary or advisable by the department to examine, test, treat, control or destroy any dog, or examine, disinfect or regulate the use of any premises, materials or products for the purpose of preventing or controlling the spread of any disease. Until a quarantine is officially revoked by the secretary or his employee, it shall be unlawful for any owner or person, without a special permit in writing from the department to sell, exchange, lease, lend, give away, allow to stray, remove or allow to be removed any dog or dogs, or any products, goods, materials, containers, vehicles or other articles or property named or described in the notice of quarantine. When a general rabies quarantine is established, at least ten notices thereof shall be posted throughout the area affected thereby and notice thereof shall also be published in at least one issue of a newspaper of general circulation throughout such city, borough, town or township. Any dog suspected of being rabid shall be detained in isolation by the owner, if known, and if such facilities are approved by the department or by an employee of the department. If such detention has incurred costs not collectible by the employee of the department, then the employee of the department shall approve and reimburse the actual cost of such detention to the person providing facilities for such detention. Any police officer or State dog warden may humanely kill any dog running at large in a rabies quarantined area without any liability for damages for such killing.

CREDIT(S)

1982, Dec. 7, P.L. 784, No. 225, art. III, § 301, effective Jan. 1, 1983. Amended 1996, Dec. 11, P.L. 943, No. 151, § 9, effective in 60 days.

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