January 11, 2022 animal lovers across the world came to know a dog in Philadelphia PA that we named "Scotty". The images of "Scotty", skinny, tethered, surrounded by his own feces, the look of defeat up on his face, and in the snow, are images we will never get out of our heads. We watched as he tried to get water from the only source of which was a bucket that was frozen from the freezing conditions that he was forced to live in. The public became outraged! We watched as he sat helplessly tethered in the rain. Sadly, "Scotty" has been living outdoors for the past 6 years with an igloo dog house as his only shelter. We are still currently fighting for "Scotty".

As the animal community world was watching "Scotty", so many more dogs living outdoors in freezing conditions came to our attention. We then began to see how many dogs were affected not only to freezing code blue conditions but also to extreme heat conditions. Sadly this has been going on for sometime now especially with allowing dogs to live outdoors in Pennsylvania. The graphic images of deceased dogs in the snow and on hot concrete left a mark on not only our hearts and but our minds as well. I have seen and cared for dogs covered in scars from burns on them from living in metal sheds or neck lacerations from being tethered outdoors. This is animal cruelty, neglect  and abuse. Animals cannot change the conditions that they live in. 

Something needs to be done now! 

This is why we are asking for a new law to be set in place in Pennsylvania called "Scotty's Law " and Libre's Law be amended.  We are asking that NO dog be left outside tethered or not no more than 30 minutes when temperatures are lower than 50 degrees and NO dog be left outside tethered or not no more than 30 minutes in 80 degrees or higher. We ask this because every dog breed handles cold and heat differently. Different ages of dogs also handle weather differently. We ask that NO dog be allowed to live outdoors in Pennsylvania for 24 hours a day 7 days a week, EVEN if there is a form of shelter outdoors. Why own a dog just to leave them outdoors 24 hours 7 days a week? Every animal deserves a happy, healthy life free from suffering and a life protected from inhumane treatment.  A dog should be a member of our family not a possession. 

This law will also lessen the amount of calls coming into animal control on a daily basis which would free up time for animal control to help more animals in need. This law will keep our dogs healthy and safe indoors where they belong and bring awareness that dogs are family not objects. Animals can feel pain, fear, joy and love just like humans but they do not have a voice. We must be their voice.