U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on April 9 proposed a bipartisan bill to improve the treatment of animals seized under federal animal fighting or gambling statutes and to hold offenders responsible for covering the costs of care for these animals.
The Help Extract Animals from Red Tape (HEART) Act of 2018, S. 2633, introduced on April 9 by U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) with Sen. Collins as the original cosponsor, would shorten the length of time the federal government has to notify interested parties of animal seizures from 60 days to 30 days.
“Animals who have been rescued from cruelty and abuse deserve to be placed in loving homes as soon as it is safely possible,” Sen. Collins said.
S. 2633 is the Senate version of the bipartisan HEART Act of 2017, H.R. 398, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 10, 2017 by U.S. Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Judy Chu (D-CA). H.R. 398 has 63 other cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Dan Donovan (R-NY), Don Bacon (R-NE), Charlie Dent (R-PA), Tom Marino (R-PA), Bruce Poliquin (R-ME), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Mike Turner (R-OH), Ryan Costello (R-PA), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Rodney Davis (R-IL), and Dave Joyce (R-OH).
Additionally, the Senate proposal would give judges discretion to consider the culpability, financial condition and other claimant factors when determining the reimbursement rates for seized animals under the care of the federal government, according to a summary provided by Sen. Collins’ staff.
“Our legislation, which is based on recommendations by the Department of Justice’s Animal Cruelty Roundtable, would reduce the minimum amount of time animals must be held in shelters and alleviate the financial burdens that fall on those who care for seized animals,” explained Sen. Collins.
Under S. 2633, judges also would be required to weigh the best interest of animals when considering an extension of the 30-day notice period, an action that Sen. Harris said is aimed at removing bureaucratic red tape that prevents animals from being “properly and safely cared for.”
In fact, sheltering and caring for animals rescued from dogfighting operations may last months or even years, said Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), who supports the bill.
“Assisting law enforcement in this way can be very expensive for shelters and rescues, and the long federal process can take a toll on animal victims as well as cause local agencies to think twice before intervening in new cases,” said Bershadker, who commended the senators for championing the HEART Act to streamline the process.
“I have long advocated for policies that improve the welfare of animals, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to help protect animals that have experienced inhumane treatment,” said Sen. Collins.
S. 2633 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. H.R. 398 is under consideration by the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.