Supporting Our Shelters Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Supporting Our Shelters Act amends the Animal Welfare Act to require USDA to establish a grant program for animal shelters and related entities described in section 28(a)(2). Grants support the capability of those entities to care for animals, including feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreational activities, and hiring, training, and retaining staff. Grant terms may last up to three years and can be renewed if the grantee reports before the term expires. Each grant recipient must report annually to USDA on the number of each species taken into the shelter, outcomes for each species, and how grant funds were used. USDA must submit annual reports to the House and Senate agriculture committees on program funds and animal care improvements, and must promulgate regulations to carry out the subsection within 180 days.
Who Benefits and How
Animal shelters benefit from federal grant support for feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreation, staff hiring, training, and retention. Shelter animals benefit if grants improve care capacity and staffing in facilities that receive animals. Veterinary care providers benefit from shelter grant spending on animal medical care. Animal welfare organizations benefit from annual data on shelter species intake, species outcomes, and use of grant funds.
Who Bears the Burden and How
USDA animal welfare staff must establish the grant program, issue regulations within 180 days, and report annually to Congress. Animal shelter grantees must submit annual accountings of species intake, species outcomes, and use of funds. Shelter managers must meet reporting requirements to renew grants after a term of up to three years. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of grants supporting animal shelter care and staffing.
Key Provisions
- Establishes USDA grants to support animal shelter care capacity.
- Covers feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreation, staff hiring, training, and retention.
- Requires annual grantee reports on species intake, outcomes, and use of grant funds.
- Requires annual USDA reports to congressional agriculture committees.
- Directs USDA to promulgate implementing regulations within 180 days.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires USDA animal shelter grants for feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreation, staffing, training, retention, grantee accounting, annual congressional reports, and regulations within 180 days.
Key Policy Areas
Animal Welfare, Federal Grants, Agriculture
Primary Purpose
Requires USDA animal shelter grants for feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreation, staffing, training, retention, grantee accounting, annual congressional reports, and regulations within 180 days.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Animal shelters
- Shelter animals
- Veterinary care providers
- Animal welfare organizations
Identified Costs
- USDA animal welfare staff
- Animal shelter grantees
- Shelter managers
- Federal taxpayers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
Ms. Escobar (for herself, Ms. Garcia of Texas, and Mr. …
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Animal shelter grantees, Animal shelters
Positive-direction: Animal shelters
Negative-direction: Animal shelter grantees
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology