This petition is for Pennsylvania Residents (only):

Who was Victoria? 

Victoria was a German Shepherd who was rescued by Finding Shelter Animal Rescue in 2017 from a Lancaster County, PA puppy mill. She was born at the farm and lived there for 10 years as a breeding dog. Right after her rescue, she received the terminal diagnosis of Degenerative Myelopathy (in incurable, genetic condition) and was placed on hospice care for the remainder of her life, which was expected to be six months. Victoria exceeded all expectations and lived for 16 months as part of a family. It was the first time in her life that she lived indoors in a loving home. Victoria passed away on February 26, 2019 at the age of 11 and a half, in the arms of her parents who loved her dearly.

Why is Victoria’s Law important?

Victoria was a 90-pound German Shepherd who was crammed into a crate on a Pennsylvania puppy mill farm. Despite having an incurable genetic disease called Degenerative Myelopathy, she was still used for breeding, over and over again, at every heat cycle, for 10 years! Victoria gave birth to 150+ puppies who sadly inherited her genes and could someday also become paralyzed like their mother. It is also unknown if any of her puppies were also used for breeding and passed on the genetic condition. Victoria was relinquished from a legal, licensed breeding operation (puppy mill). Her very minimal requirements for care were legally met. However, like many of the thousands of dogs living in licensed (and unlicensed) puppy mills across Pennsylvania, her health and wellbeing were woefully neglected.  

Victoria is the legacy behind Victoria’s Law — legislation currently before the Pennsylvania House (HB 1299) and the Senate (as SB 234) which, if passed, would stop the puppy mill to retail pet store pipeline by halting sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits.  It will drive the PA pet market towards more humane adoption models by partnering with shelters and rescues. It will increase transparency by requiring sellers to include identifying kennel license information.

This lifesaving legislation is desperately needed.

In 2021, eight Pennsylvania breeders made The Humane Society of the United States “Horrible Hundred” list — a nationwide probe into the worst puppy mills in the country. In 2022, five Pennsylvania breeders (many repeat offenders) made the list. See Horrible Hundred Report 2022 (humanesociety.org). Conditions identified in these inspection reports included lack of veterinary care, dogs in poor health, failure to keep kennels in humane and sanitary conditions, dirty water and food receptacles, animals exposed to extreme temperatures, failing to clean feces and dirt from puppy and whelping pens, and dogs without reliable access to food and water. 

Victoria’s Law is a crucial step in the right direction for Pennsylvania’s animals.

Please sign our petition urging these Pennsylvania legislators to bring Victoria’s Law to a vote now so that we can help end the needless suffering and neglect of animals across the state. Thank you. 

For more on Victoria’s Law, please visit: Victoria's Law – Information on Pennsylvania's ongoing move toward a more humane commonwealth (victoriaslaw.org)