Columnist: Corbett Administration Showing Little Interest in Enforcing PA. Anti-Animal Cruelty Laws

[JPZenger]

http://articles.mcall.com/2011-10-10/news/mc-bill-white-more-dog-law-pennsylvania-20111010_1_dog-law-advisory-board-dog-abuser-dog-kennels

Great column by Allentown Morning Call columnist Bill White, who has a long history on speaking out on animal cruelty matters and PA.'s past lack of enforcement.

Excerpts:

"I wrote last time about the perception that the PA. Dept. of Agriculture is not interested in enforcing the state's tougher law governing dog kennels. I focused on a recent case in which the department, by law, had to revoke the kennel license of convicted animal abuser and chronic dog law violator John Zimmerman of Lancaster Co. — then turned around and granted a noncommercial license to his wife at the same location.

... the noncommercial designation exempts the Zimmerman operation from a raft of inspection categories that the kennel routinely failed.

...Gov. Corbett set off alarm bells by choosing Lynn Diehl, a bank manager with no background in animal welfare except her ownership of a dachshund, to lead the enforcement effort.

Nancy Gardner, a member of the Dog Law Advisory Board — which she says hasn't met since Corbett took office — and one of the many people whose efforts made the tougher law possible, told me, "We worked so hard to get a good law passed. It's so disheartening to see the Department of Agriculture let it slide this way."

[blue neen]

1. Let's face it---Tom Corbett doesn't care about anyone but himself and his corporate buddies.

Worst...Governor...Ever.

[femmocrat]

2. He doesn't care about school children or their pets!

Heartless b*stard.

[Divernan]

3. Corbett just uses dogs for PR - like last summer when he posed w/ puppies

He is, in just about every conceivable way, a disaster for the state. Interestingly, I just heard from a fellow lawyer that while he was state Attorney General, he was regarded by his underlings as lazy and not that bright.

I note in recent photos that his already considerable girth has continued to expand since the election. Indicates he's lazy about exercising and dieting - which is not a smart thing for a man with back problems. If he can't responsibly take care of his own health, no surprise that he's negligent in caring for the state and it's citizens.