I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 909 

To protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating 

violence from emotional and psychological trauma caused by acts of 

violence or threats of violence against their pets. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2017 

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts (for herself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. DENHAM, 

Mrs. MIMI WALTERS of California, Mr. NOLAN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, 

Mr. KEATING, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. WASSERMAN

SCHULTZ, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Ms. SPEIER, Mrs. 

WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. SINEMA, 

Ms. DELBENE, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. DELANEY, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, 

Mr. YODER, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. TSONGAS, 

Ms. TITUS, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. NORTON, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

of Texas, Mr. PETERS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. 

SWALWELL of California, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. MICHAEL

F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. SEAN

PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. JENKINS of Kansas, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. 

BROWNLEY of California, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. 

KILMER, Mr. NORCROSS, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. 

RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. ZELDIN, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Mr. BARLETTA, Mrs. COMSTOCK, Ms. KAPTUR, 

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Miss RICE of New York, 

Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. POCAN, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of 

New Mexico, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DENT, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. 

O’ROURKE, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. FASO, Mr. WALZ, Mr. POLIS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. SCHRADER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Ms. LEE, 

Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. 

JUDY CHU of California, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

CURBELO of Florida, Mr. JONES, Mr. COFFMAN, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. 

COSTA, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. LOFGREN, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. 

KING of New York, Mr. SIRES, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. 

POLIQUIN, Ms. ESTY, Mr. WELCH, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. 


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BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. SCOTT of 

Virginia, Mr. SOTO, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. STEFANIK, Mrs. 

WAGNER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

PERRY, Mr. STIVERS, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. AGUILAR, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Ms. MOORE, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. SERRANO, 

Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HECK, Mr. RUSH, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. CARBAJAL, 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. KUSTER of New 

Hampshire, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. 

MARINO, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. 

HANABUSA, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. BEYER, Mrs. TORRES, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. CHABOT, 

Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. DONOVAN, Ms. 

DEGETTE, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. JEFFRIES, 

Ms. MATSUI, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Ms. MENG, Mr. BISHOP

of Michigan, Ms. BASS, Mr. KATKO, Mr. NEAL, Mr. PAULSEN, and Mr. 

HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence from emotional and psychological 

trauma caused by acts of violence or threats of violence 

against their pets. 

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 may be cited as the ‘‘Pet and Women Safety 

5 Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PET INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMES RELATED TO DO7 MESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING. 

8 (a) INTERSTATE STALKING.—Section 2261A of title 

9 18, United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (1)(A)— 

2 (A) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

3 end; and 

4 (B) by inserting after clause (iii) the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘(iv) the pet of that person; or’’; and 

7 (2) in paragraph (2)(A)— 

8 (A) by inserting after ‘‘to a person’’ the 

9 following: ‘‘or a pet’’; and 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘or (iii)’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘(iii), or (iv)’’. 

12 (b) INTERSTATE VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

13 ORDER.—Section 2262 of title 18, United States Code, 

14 is amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (a)— 

16 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting after 

17 ‘‘another person’’ the following: ‘‘or the pet of 

18 that person’’; and 

19 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting after 

20 ‘‘proximity to, another person’’ the following 

21 ‘‘or the pet of that person’’; and 

22 (2) in subsection (b)(5), by inserting after ‘‘in 

23 any other case,’’ the following: ‘‘including any case 

24 in which the offense is committed against a pet,’’. 


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1 (c) RESTITUTION TO INCLUDE VETERINARY SERV2 ICES.—Section 2264 of title 18, United States Code, is 

3 amended in subsection (b)(3)— 

4 (1) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub5 paragraph (G); 

6 (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

7 the end; and 

8 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(F) veterinary services relating to phys11 ical care for the victim’s pet; and’’. 

12 (d) PET DEFINED.—Section 2266 of title 18, United 

13 States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (10) 

14 the following: 

15 ‘‘(11) PET.—The term ‘pet’ means a domes16 ticated animal, such as a dog, cat, bird, rodent, fish, 

17 turtle, horse, or other animal that is kept for pleas18 ure rather than for commercial purposes.’’. 

19 SEC. 3. EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL PET SHELTER 

20 AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANT PRO21 GRAM. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

23 (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), 

24 acting in consultation with the Office of the Violence 

25 Against Women of the Department of Justice, the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Feb 15, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H909.IH H909

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1 retary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Sec2 retary of Health and Human Services, shall award grants 

3 under this section to eligible entities to carry out programs 

4 to provide the assistance described in subsection (c) with 

5 respect to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, 

6 sexual assault, or stalking and the pets of such victims. 

7 (b) APPLICATION.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking a 

9 grant under this section shall submit an application 

10 to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

11 containing such information as the Secretary may 

12 reasonably require, including— 

13 (A) a description of the activities for which 

14 a grant under this section is sought; 

15 (B) such assurances as the Secretary de16 termines to be necessary to ensure compliance 

17 by the entity with the requirements of this sec18 tion; and 

19 (C) a certification that the entity, before 

20 engaging with any individual domestic violence 

21 victim, will disclose to the victim any mandatory 

22 duty of the entity to report instances of abuse 

23 and neglect (including instances of abuse and 

24 neglect of pets). 


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1 (2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—In addition 

2 to the requirements of paragraph (1), each applica3 tion submitted by an eligible entity under that para4 graph shall— 

5 (A) not include proposals for any activities 

6 that may compromise the safety of a domestic 

7 violence victim, including— 

8 (i) background checks of domestic vio9 lence victims; or 

10 (ii) clinical evaluations to determine 

11 the eligibility of such a victim for support 

12 services; 

13 (B) not include proposals that would re14 quire mandatory services for victims or that a 

15 victim obtain a protective order in order to re16 ceive proposed services; and 

17 (C) reflect the eligible entity’s under18 standing of the dynamics of domestic violence, 

19 dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 

20 (3) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 

21 this subsection shall be construed to require— 

22 (A) domestic violence victims to participate 

23 in the criminal justice system in order to re24 ceive services; or 


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1 (B) eligible entities receiving a grant under 

2 this section to breach client confidentiality. 

3 (c) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this sec4 tion may only be used for programs that provide— 

5 (1) emergency and transitional shelter and 

6 housing assistance for domestic violence victims with 

7 pets, including assistance with respect to any con8 struction or operating expenses of newly developed 

9 or existing emergency and transitional pet shelter 

10 and housing (regardless of whether such shelter and 

11 housing is co-located at a victim service provider or 

12 within the community); 

13 (2) short-term shelter and housing assistance 

14 for domestic violence victims with pets, including as15 sistance with respect to expenses incurred for the 

16 temporary shelter, housing, boarding, or fostering of 

17 the pets of domestic violence victims and other ex18 penses that are incidental to securing the safety of 

19 such a pet during the sheltering, housing, or reloca20 tion of such victims; 

21 (3) support services designed to enable a do22 mestic violence victim who is fleeing a situation of 

23 domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or 

24 stalking to— 

25 (A) locate and secure— 


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1 (i) safe housing with the victim’s pet; 

2 or 

3 (ii) safe accommodations for the vic4 tim’s pet; or 

5 (B) provide the victim with pet-related 

6 services, such as pet transportation, pet care 

7 services, and other assistance; or 

8 (4) for the training of relevant stakeholders 

9 on— 

10 (A) the link between domestic violence, 

11 dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and 

12 the abuse and neglect of pets; 

13 (B) the needs of domestic violence victims; 

14 (C) best practices for providing support 

15 services to such victims; 

16 (D) best practices for providing such vic17 tims with referrals to victims’ services; and 

18 (E) the importance of confidentiality. 

19 (d) GRANT CONDITIONS.—An eligible entity that re20 ceives a grant under this section shall, as a condition of 

21 such receipt, agree— 

22 (1) to be bound by the nondisclosure of con23 fidential information requirements of section 

24 40002(b)(2) of the Violence Against Women Act of 

25 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(b)(2)); and 


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1 (2) that the entity shall not condition the re2 ceipt of support, housing, or other benefits provided 

3 pursuant to this section on the participation of do4 mestic violence victims in any or all of the support 

5 services offered to such victims through a program 

6 carried out by the entity using grant funds. 

7 (e) DURATION OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO VIC8 TIMS.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

10 assistance provided with respect to a pet of a domes11 tic violence victim using grant funds awarded under 

12 this section shall be provided for a period of not 

13 more than 24 months. 

14 (2) EXTENSION.—An eligible entity that re15 ceives a grant under this section may extend the 24- 

16 month period referred to in paragraph (1) for a pe17 riod of not more than 6 months in the case of a do18 mestic violence victim who— 

19 (A) has made a good faith effort to acquire 

20 permanent housing for the victim’s pet during 

21 that 24-month period; and 

22 (B) has been unable to acquire such per23 manent housing within that period. 

24 (f) REPORT TO THE SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 

25 year after the date on which an eligible entity receives a 


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1 grant under this section and each year thereafter, the enti2 ty shall submit to the Secretary a report that contains, 

3 with respect to assistance provided by the entity to domes4 tic violence victims with pets using grant funds received 

5 under this section, information on— 

6 (1) the number of domestic violence victims 

7 with pets provided such assistance; and 

8 (2) the purpose, amount, type of, and duration 

9 of such assistance. 

10 (g) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 

11 (1) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 

12 November 1 of each even-numbered fiscal year, the 

13 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agri14 culture of the House of Representatives and the 

15 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

16 of the Senate a report that contains a compilation 

17 of the information contained in the reports sub18 mitted under subsection (f). 

19 (2) AVAILABILITY OF REPORT.—The Secretary 

20 shall transmit a copy of the report submitted under 

21 paragraph (1) to— 

22 (A) the Office on Violence Against Women 

23 of the Department of Justice; 


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1 (B) the Office of Community Planning and 

2 Development of the Department of Housing 

3 and Urban Development; and 

4 (C) the Administration for Children and 

5 Families of the Department of Health and 

6 Human Services. 

7 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

9 appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for 

10 each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021. 

11 (2) LIMITATION.—Of the amount made avail12 able under paragraph (1) in any fiscal year, not 

13 more than 5 percent may be used for evaluation, 

14 monitoring, salaries, and administrative expenses. 

15 (i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

16 (1) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM DEFINED.— 

17 The term ‘‘domestic violence victim’’ means a victim 

18 of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, 

19 or stalking. 

20 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti21 ty’’ means— 

22 (A) a State; 

23 (B) a unit of local government; 

24 (C) an Indian tribe; or 


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1 (D) any other organization that has a doc2 umented history of effective work concerning 

3 domestic violence, dating violence, sexual as4 sault, or stalking (as determined by the Sec5 retary), including— 

6 (i) a domestic violence and sexual as7 sault victim service provider; 

8 (ii) a domestic violence and sexual as9 sault coalition; 

10 (iii) a community-based and culturally 

11 specific organization; 

12 (iv) any other nonprofit, nongovern13 mental organization; and 

14 (v) any organization that works di15 rectly with pets and collaborates with any 

16 organization referred to in clauses (i) 

17 through (iv), including— 

18 (I) an animal shelter; and 

19 (II) an animal welfare organiza20 tion. 

21 (3) PET.—The term ‘‘pet’’ means a domes22 ticated animal, such as a dog, cat, bird, rodent, fish, 

23 turtle, horse, or other animal that is kept for pleas24 ure rather than for commercial purposes. 


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1 (4) OTHER TERMS.—Except as otherwise pro2 vided in this subsection, terms used in this section 

3 shall have the meaning given such terms in section 

4 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 

5 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(a)). 

6 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that States should encour8 age the inclusion of protections against violent or threat9 ening acts against the pet of a person in domestic violence 

10 protection orders. 

Æ 


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