Innovative Effort To Help Seniors With Pets

A new initiative will provide pet food and veterinary medical care free of charge to senior citizens who lack the financial resources to care for their beloved animal companions. 

Best of all, these services will be delivered right to the doors of those who are homebound or who transportation.

State Senator Andy Dinniman has partnered with the Pennsylvania Veterinary Foundation (the charitable arm of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association) and Meals on Wheels of Chester County to establish this new program. It will be named for Henry, the Dinniman family’s 9-year-old standard poodle who died in December 2014 and was well-known throughout the Chester County region.

The new program will be officially launched at a special open house at Hope Veterinary Specialists and Veterinary Cancer Center on Sunday, March 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. At that time, Dinniman and supporters will announce the official name of the new program and fund to honor Henry. For more information on the event, visitwww.pavetfoundation.org.

Senator Dinniman with his late poodle, Henry.

Dinniman said he got the idea for a mobile food pantry when he heard about senior citizens, and disabled residents on low or fixed incomes who are homebound and struggle to afford adequate food, pet care items and veterinary medical services for their pets.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation because for many, these animals are their only companions,” he said. “And it’s important to keep pets and their owners together in their homes – not only does it have therapeutic value, it also takes the burden off rescue organizations that are overwhelmed with surrendered animals.”

Now, thanks to the support of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Foundation, Meals on Wheels of Chester County, the Chester County Department of Aging and local senior centers and senior organizations that idea is becoming reality.

Pet food and care items will be funded by private and corporate donors through the Pennsylvania Veterinary Foundation, while Meals on Wheels will make the actual deliveries. In addition, representatives from local senior centers, senior housing facilities and other nonprofits have already identified homebound pet owners in need. Finally, pro bono veterinary care will be provided by local partners and veterinary residents.

“The Veterinary Foundation is excited that this very worthwhile cause has become reality. We look forward to expanding the program to help more seniors and their pets in the near future,” said Dr. Tom Garg of Hope Veterinary Specialists and the Pennsylvania Veterinary Foundation.

“Senator Dinniman has been a great supporter of Meals on Wheels for many years in helping our efforts to feed those who are homebound and often isolated in our communities. Now, he is taking it a step further by helping these people feed their loyal companions, their pets,” said Jeani Purcell, Director of Meals on Wheels of Chester County. “When I first told these clients that free dog and cat food was available, the relief and joy in their faces was overwhelming. We greatly appreciate Senator Dinniman and the PA Veterinary Foundation for this opportunity to help our clients feed their beloved pets.”

The first pet food deliveries and veterinary house calls will be made on March 17 in our area.

“We know that both people and their pets are happier and healthier when they are together in their own homes,” Dinniman said. “Keeping pets and their people together – that is the goal of this organization and so far the support for it has been unprecedented and overwhelming. In fact, we plan on Chester County serving as a successful model that we can eventually take statewide and later even to the national level.”

Dinniman's Bill To Help College Towns Gets OK

The Pennsylvania Senate on Monday overwhelmingly approved two bills co-sponsored by state Sen. Andy Dinniman that would greatly assist college towns with alcohol-related challenges, including the Borough of West Chester.

Senate Bills 941 and 943, authored by state Sen. Jake Corman and co-sponsored by Sen. Dinniman, would significantly increase revenue for municipalities by increasing the fees and possible fines for alcohol-related offenses.

Senate Bill 941, approved 45-3, would increase the maximum fine for public drunkenness from $300 to $1,000 and the maximum fine for a second and subsequent underage-drinking offense from $500 to $1,000. Dinniman said he understands that the Borough of West Chester would use the extra revenue for police enforcement of alcohol laws.

Senate Bill 943, approved 46-2, would let municipalities add a separate $100 court fee onto those convicted of various alcohol-related offenses, ranging from public drunkenness to possessing false identification to driving while intoxicated. The revenue must be used by the police department’s Alcohol Offense Prevention Unit to deter alcohol-related crimes through education.

“Monday’s vote is heartening. It shows that a strong majority of my Senate colleagues agree that towns like West Chester need help dealing with alcohol-fueled crimes for the sake of their taxpayers and for the sake of residents’ quality of life,” Dinniman said. “Furthermore, these bills correctly put the financial onus on the perpetrators of these nuisance crimes, not their victims.”

West Chester Mayor Carolyn Comitta said, “We applaud the Senate for passing these common-sense bills. Studies show that 99 percent of crimes are drug or alcohol-related. These bills will help derive revenue from alcohol-related crimes, so that we can better protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents and visitors.”

Jordan Norley, West Chester Borough councilmember for the 4th ward and chairman of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, said “The overwhelming vote for Senate Bills 941 and 943 clearly signals recognition of the challenges that municipalities that host universities face. West Chester appreciates the Senator’s effort in this regard, and we look forward to continuing to improve our arsenal of tools available to protect our citizens’ safety and quality of life.”

Video: Dinniman Champions Rights Of Brain Injured

Pennsylvania State Sen. Andy Dinniman speaks at the PA Brain Injury Coalition Legislative Rally in the state Capitol in Harrisburg this morning.
Senator Dinniman is an eloquent champion of those who need his help and advocacy.

Dinniman's 'Daniel's Law' Passes PA, Senate Cttee.

Pennsylvania State Senator Andy Dinniman’s bill to ban animal gassing in Pennsylvania has been unanimously approved by a Senate committee.
The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee on Wednesday voted 11-0 to approve Dinniman’s Senate Bill 1329, which would prohibit the gassing of cats and dogs in Pennsylvania, a method of euthanasia still practiced in several animal shelters in the Commonwealth.

Senator Dinniman with Daniel "the Miracle Dog"

The bill goes on to mandate that shelters, when euthanizing dogs, cats, and other domestic animals, do so by injection of sodium pentobarbital, the method considered most humane by animal experts.
Dinniman said his Senate Bill 1329 still has a ways to go before it becomes law but that Wednesday’s vote was a big step toward Pennsylvania becoming more compassionate toward animals.
“I’m heartened that my fellow committee members unanimously agreed that it’s time for Pennsylvania to join the 16 states that no longer allow euthanasia by gassing,” Dinniman said. “The method is cruel, unnecessary, and even dangerous to shelter personnel.”
Dinniman’s bill is named after Daniel, the beagle that in October survived an Alabama gas chamber and has since been adopted by a New Jersey family and become a symbol in the battle to ban euthanasia by gassing. Daniel and his guardian, Jim Dwyer, appeared on Anderson Cooper’s daytime talk show “Anderson” on Dec. 2.
Dinniman’s Senate Bill 1329 will next be considered by the full Senate.
Another animal-welfare bill introduced by Sen. Dinnian was approved by the Senate Judiciary committee on Dec. 6. Senate Bill 968 would increase the penalty for animal cruelty when such cruelty occurs within the realm of domestic abuse.

“It’s terribly unfortunate but harming or killing an animal is a common way abusers try to get power and control over their victims,” Dinniman said. “Current laws don’t take that into account. That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 968, which is now before the full Senate and I’m optimistic will continue to progress and someday become law.”
For more information contact Senator Dinniman’s West Chester Office at (610) 692-2112, or e-mail mindars@pasenate.com.

Live Blogging With Miracle Dog

I'm here in Chester County live blogging with Daniel,
Daniel is the miracle dog who survived an Alabama carbon monoxide chamber and has lived to find a home and family.
Unfortunately, most dogs don't survive.
And worse yet, they suffer this horribly cruel end -- the torture of carbon monoxide.
Regrettably, Pennsylvania is one of only 19 states that still permits the gassing of dogs. It's time for this to end. If and when dogs need to be put down -- when that is absolutely necessary -- there are much more humane ways to end their lives.
Wisely, Chester County's outstanding State Senator Andy Dinniman has stepped to the plate and is sponsoring Daniel's Law to put an end to the gassing of dogs in the Keystone State.
A dog owner himself, Senator Dinniman is surely on the right side of this issue and the huge crowd here today on this bright, sunny Sunday afternoon proves it. There are more than 300 people here and almost as many dogs.
If dogs could vote, this would be a cinch. But dogs don't have a voice.
We must speak for them.
We must be their voice.
If you live in Pennsylvania, please contact your state senator and state representative and tell them to support SB 1329, Daniel's Law.
This law will rightly ban the gassing of all pets -- dogs and cats.