ATLANTA — State Representative Joe Wilkinson (R-Atlanta) today announced that Senate Bill 168 was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on Tuesday, April 26 at a bill signing ceremony in the governor’s office. SB 168, legislation sponsored by Rep. Wilkinson, will designate the adoptable dog as the official state dog. Rep. Wilkinson’s original legislation, House Bill 561, was incorporated by State Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) into SB 168 during the 2016 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly.
“When I first introduced this bill in 2015, my hope was to raise awareness to the importance of adopting animals from shelters, where they face an extremely high risk of being euthanized,” said Rep. Wilkinson. “By naming the adoptable dog Georgia’s official state dog, this state symbol will serve as a reminder to our citizens that there are thousands of animals in shelters across our state that are in need of loving homes, and I hope that this will encourage more Georgians to adopt and save an animal’s life. Thank you to Governor Deal for signing this legislation and making the adoptable dog Georgia’s official state dog.”
By naming the adoptable dog as the official state dog of Georgia, SB 168 promotes animal rescue and adoption throughout the state, as well as responsible pet ownership including the spay and neuter of dogs and cats. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, the majority of animals that are taken to shelters are euthanized, and by encouraging responsible pet ownership, the number of unwanted dogs who eventually end up in shelters will be greatly reduced.
For more information on SB 168, please click here.
Representative Joe Wilkinson represents the citizens of District 52, which includes portion of Fulton County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2000, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Ethics Committee and the Ex-Officio on the Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Health & Human Services, and Insurance committees.
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