Animal advocates from across Pennsylvania rallied for Victoria’s Law at state capitol

Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania animal advocates from across Pennsylvania rallied to show their support for SB234 and HB1299 – both also referred to as “Victoria’s Law” - on Tuesday, in the Main Rotunda at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.

Victoria’s Law has strong bipartisan support from state residents and legislators alike. Yet it remains stalled in the PA Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Lisa Baker (PA District 20), and the PA House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee chaired by Representative Dan Moul (District 91).

Victoria’s Law is named after Victoria, a German Shepherd who produced a confirmed 150+ puppies through 18 litters in ten years at a Pennsylvania puppy mill. Victoria had an incurable, genetic, neurological condition called Degenerative Myelopathy that she potentially passed down to her 150+ puppies. In February 2019, only sixteen months after her rescue, Victoria had to be humanely euthanized by her adoptive family due to the progression of her disease.

Event speaker, Veterinarian Dr. Beth Mehaffey, said, “So many times these animals come in if they were sick before they were purchased and we’d be trying to save their lives. Just as often they would come in sick right after they were purchased because they were exposed either at the pet store or on the farm where they were bred. Then they become sick and that becomes the problem of the person who has now purchased this dog.”

Special guests included dogs who were rescued from PA puppy mills - Rochelle (Bernese Mountain Dog), Peach (Mini-Australian Shepherd), Otis (Pug) and Ellie (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). The event ended with a vigil in memory of Victoria and in honor of the many other dogs, cats and rabbits who have lived and are living a life of producing companion pets for profit for the pet store industry.

Victoria’s Law (SB234 and HB1299) would end the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It would only permit adoption of rescue animals through pet store partnerships and require kennel licensing transparency on all dog sale advertising.

For more info on the Victoria’s Law, visit: www.victoriaslaw.org and sign the petition in support of the legislation: https://www.change.org/p/pennsylvania-bring-victoria-s-law-to-a-vote

Speakers at the event included:

Stephanie Curson – Revolution Philadelphia member and event organizer

Grace Kelly Herbert – President and co-founder of Finding Shelter Animal Rescue and Victoria’s “mom.”

Dr. Beth Mehaffey – Owner/Veterinarian, Pennridge Animal Hospital in Bucks County and founder of Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue

Officer Brian Carroll – Erie County Humane Society, Erie County PA

Kelly Craig – Owner and certified trainer at The Distinguished Dog

Reagan and Tucker Robb – Chester County youth whose family adopted dogs from puppy mills

Alyssa Levito – PA teen who chose Victoria’s Law as her Girl Scout project

Suzanne Gonzalez – Adoptive parent of dog rescued from PA farm and event organizer