HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from September 2021.
Governor Tom Wolf was joined by Libre, the namesake of the animal cruelty protection legislation he signed into law in 2017, to celebrate Pennsylvania's transformation into a safer place for animals and pets during his administration.
Libre, a Boston terrier, was eight weeks old when he was rescued from a Lancaster County dog breeder in July 2016. He had been left outside and was suffering from numerous medical issues, including a severe skin infection.
Due to the animal cruelty laws at the time, the breeder responsible for the dog's condition received a fine for neglect.
The outcry over the lack of punishment led to the Comprehensive Animal Cruelty Act 10, or Libre’s Law, which was passed by the state House and state Senate and signed into law by Wolf in June 2017.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Wolf hosted Libre, now 6 years old and thriving with his new family, in the state Capitol Reception Room.
"Animals are a most loved and honored companion in Pennsylvania, yet until I took office in 2015 our laws in the commonwealth did not hold pet owners to a standard these beloved companions deserved," said Wolf. "I'm proud of the bipartisan work that we've accomplished during my time in office, in partnership with advocacy groups and Pennsylvania's animal cruelty ambassador, Libre, on behalf of our pets without a voice."
In 2014, before Governor Wolf took office, Pennsylvania ranked number 41 on the Animal Legal Defense Fund's U.S. Animal Protection Laws Ranking. The ranking is the longest running, most authoritative report of its kind.
Over the course of Wolf's eight years in office, Pennsylvania made annual improvements in ranking. An incredible leap from 44 to 24 in 2017 made Pennsylvania the most improved state that year.
Now, Pennsylvania ranks 15th in the Top Tier of the report, the Wolf administration said.