I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8001 

To require research facilities that use companion dogs, cats, or rabbits for 

research purposes and receive funding from the National Institutes of 

Health to offer such animals for adoption after completion of such 

research, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To require research facilities that use companion dogs, cats, 

or rabbits for research purposes and receive funding 

from the National Institutes of Health to offer such 

animals for adoption after completion of such research, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act shall be cited as the ‘‘Companion Animal 

5 Release from Experiments Act of 2020’’ or the ‘‘CARE 

6 Act of 2020’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8001 IH

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The use of animals in research has been an 

4 issue of public concern since the mid-20th century, 

5 because animals used in research will, in most cases, 

6 experience fear, pain, confinement, and premature 

7 death. 

8 (2) Section 495 of the Health Research Exten9 sion Act is the statutory basis for the public health 

10 service policy of the Federal Government with re11 spect to humane care and use of laboratory animals. 

12 (3) Currently, the public health service policy of 

13 the Surgeon General does not cover the post re14 search treatment of such animals. 

15 (4) Animals used in research include animals 

16 commonly kept as companion animals by the public. 

17 (5) More than 64,000 dogs, 18,000 cats, and 

18 145,000 rabbits are used in experiments in the 

19 United States each year and much of the research 

20 is conducted at facilities that receive public funding 

21 through the National Institutes of Health. 

22 (6) Due to an absence of Federal requirements, 

23 11 States have enacted laws governing the post re24 search placement for dogs and cats used in publicly 

25 funded research institutions. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8001 IH

1 (7) A national requirement is needed to ensure 

2 that research institutions that receive tax payer 

3 funding establish adoption policies for companion 

4 animals that are no longer used for research, includ5 ing finding such animals a home and adopting trans6 parent policies concerning the success of such re7 quirement. 

8 SEC. 3. OFFERING DOGS, CATS, OR RABBITS USED IN RE9 SEARCH FACILITIES FOR ADOPTION. 

10 (a) ADOPTION GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH FACILI11 TIES.—Section 495(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act 

12 (42 U.S.C. 289d(b)(3)) is amended— 

13 (1) by striking the ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub14 paragraph (B); 

15 (2) by striking the period at the end of sub16 paragraph (C); and 

17 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol18 lowing: 

19 ‘‘(D) develop and implement policies for the 

20 adoption of dogs, cats, or rabbits no longer needed 

21 for biomedical and behavioral research, including— 

22 ‘‘(i) developing and making publicly avail23 able on the website of such research entity a 

24 policy for offering for adoption a dog, cat, or 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8001 IH

1 rabbit no longer needed for biomedical and be2 havioral research; 

3 ‘‘(ii) assessing the health of such dog, cat, 

4 or rabbit to determine whether such animal is 

5 suitable for adoption; and 

6 ‘‘(iii) making reasonable efforts to offer for 

7 adoption any dog, cat, or rabbit deemed suit8 able for adoption, either through— 

9 ‘‘(I) private placement; 

10 ‘‘(II) an animal shelter; or 

11 ‘‘(III) an animal adoption organiza12 tion; and 

13 ‘‘(E) maintain records on dogs, cats, or rabbits 

14 used by the research entity and make such records 

15 publicly available on the website of such research en16 tity, including records on— 

17 ‘‘(i) the number of dogs, cats, or rabbits 

18 used for research; 

19 ‘‘(ii) the number of dogs, cats, or rabbits 

20 placed for adoption through private placement, 

21 animal shelter, or through an animal adoption 

22 organization; and 

23 ‘‘(iii) the number of dogs, cats, or rabbits 

24 destroyed.’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 8001 IH

1 (b) IMMUNITY AND ANIMAL ADOPTION ORGANIZA2 TION DEFINED.—Section 495 of the Public Health Serv3 ice Act (42 U.S.C. 289d) is amended by adding at the 

4 end the following: 

5 ‘‘(f) IMMUNITY.—A research facility that places a 

6 dog, cat, or rabbit for adoption consistent with the policies 

7 under subsection (b)(3)(D) is immune from any civil liabil8 ity in any Federal or State judicial or administrative pro9 ceeding arising out of any act or omission with respect 

10 to such dog, cat, or rabbit following the adoption of such 

11 dog, cat, or rabbit, except for willful or wanton mis12 conduct. 

13 ‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 

14 following terms apply: 

15 ‘‘(1) ANIMAL ADOPTION ORGANIZATION.—The 

16 term ‘animal adoption organization’ means an orga17 nization that— 

18 ‘‘(A) rescues animals in need and finds 

19 permanent, adoptive homes for such animals; 

20 ‘‘(B) is described in section 501(c)(3) of 

21 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and 

22 ‘‘(C) is exempt from tax under section 

23 501(a) of such Code. 

24 ‘‘(2) ANIMAL SHELTER.—The term ‘animal 

25 shelter’ means a facility that— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 8001 IH

1 ‘‘(A) accepts or seizes animals to care for 

2 such animals; and 

3 ‘‘(B) places such animals in a permanent 

4 adoptive home. 

5 ‘‘(3) PRIVATE PLACEMENT.—The term ‘private 

6 placement’ means an arrangement between the re7 search entity and an individual seeking to provide a 

8 permanent adoptive home for the animal pursuant to 

9 the adoption policy of such entity.’’. 

10 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

11 this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enact12 ment of this Act. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS