Collins, Harris Introduce Legislation to Support Animals Rescued by Federal Government
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) introduced the Help Extract Animals from Red Tape (HEART) Act, bipartisan legislation that would better prioritize the wellbeing of animals by speeding up the legal process for federal animal fighting cases, holding offenders financially responsible for the care of animals in custody, and allowing courts to take into account animals’ welfare when considering legal delays.
“Animals who have been rescued from cruelty and abuse deserve to be placed in loving homes as soon as it is safely possible,” said Senator Collins. “Based on recommendations by the Department of Justice’s Animal Cruelty Roundtable, the HEART Act 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. I urge our colleagues to join us in support of this bipartisan bill to better help animals that have experienced inhumane treatment.”
The HEART Act has been endorsed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Humane Society, the National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
“Dogfighting is a brutal ‘blood-sport’ in which innocent animals are forced to train, fight and suffer for the entertainment and profit of spectators,” said Richard Patch, vice president, federal affairs of ASPCA Government Relations. “These animals have suffered enough at the hands of their abusers, and the red tape of the federal forfeiture system should not be a barrier to their adoption. We are grateful to Senators Harris and Collins, and Representatives Chu and Katko, for championing the HEART Act to streamline the process to give these victims of cruelty the chance they deserve to find safe and loving homes.”
“When dogs rescued from animal fighting rings can be rehabilitated, they deserve a chance for adoption into a loving home as quickly as possible,” said Sara Amundson, president of Humane Society Legislative Fund. “The HEART Act treats these animals with compassion and holds the perpetrators accountable for the cost of their care while they are being held as evidence. It will encourage law enforcement to undertake these investigations and provide an additional deterrent against cruel animal fighting. We commend Senators Collins and Harris for leading the way on this important legislation.”
Specifically, the HEART Act:
- Accelerates the disposition process by reducing from 60 to 30 days the amount of time the government has to notify interested parties following the seizure of animals under the federal animal fighting or gambling statutes.
- Requires the court to consider the animals’ welfare and the cost to the government when seeking to extend the notice period.
- Requires claimants to reimburse the costs of caring for animals seized in federal animal fighting cases when the government prevails in civil forfeiture proceedings.
- Gives judges the discretion to allow the consideration of the claimant’s culpability, financial condition, and other factors when requiring and determining the reimbursement.
Click HERE to read the full-text of the bill.
