I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2850 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that healthy research 
dogs and cats are adopted into suitable homes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 20, 2019 
Miss RICE of New York (for herself and Mr. KATKO) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that 
healthy research dogs and cats are adopted into suitable 
homes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Humane Retirement 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADOPTION POLICY FOR PUB-
LIC HEALTH SERVICE AGENCIES WITH RE-
SPECT TO RETIRED DOGS AND CATS. 
Section 495 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 289d) is amended by adding the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:15 Jun 04, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2850.IH
H2850
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(f) ESTABLISHMENT
OF ADOPTION POLICY
FOR 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE AGENCIES WITH RESPECT TO 
RETIRED DOGS AND CATS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning one year after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection, guide-
lines of the Secretary under subsection (a)(3) shall 
require animal care committees described in such 
subsection that conduct biomedical and behavioral 
research at Public Health Service funded Federal 
agencies to, after the completion of any testing or 
research involving a dog or cat and prior to 
euthanizing such dog or cat, make a reasonable ef-
fort to offer such dog or cat for adoption, if suitable, 
in accordance with the following: 
‘‘(A) Such an animal care committee shall, 
after the completion of such testing or research 
involving a dog or cat and prior to euthanizing 
such dog or cat, assess the health and tempera-
ment of the dog or cat and determine whether 
it is suitable for adoption. 
‘‘(B) If found to be suitable for adoption, 
such an animal care committee shall make rea-
sonable efforts to offer for adoption the dog or 
cat to an adopting party. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:15 Jun 04, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2850.IH
H2850
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(2) RULES
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed as— 
‘‘(A) creating a duty upon an adopting 
party to accept a dog or cat offered by an ani-
mal care committee described in paragraph (1); 
or 
‘‘(B) prohibiting such committee from 
euthanizing a dog or cat if the requirements of 
this subsection are otherwise met. 
‘‘(3) LIABILITY.—An animal care committee de-
scribed in paragraph (1) and any officer, director, 
employee, or agent of such committee are immune 
from civil liability for any act or omission relating to 
the adoption of a dog or cat pursuant to this sub-
section. 
‘‘(4) ADOPTING
PARTY
DEFINED.—For pur-
poses of this subsection, the term ‘adopting party’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) an individual adopting a dog or cat 
through private placement; 
‘‘(B) an animal rescue organization; 
‘‘(C) an animal shelter organization; 
‘‘(D) a society for the prevention of cruelty 
to animals; 
‘‘(E) a humane society; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:15 Jun 04, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2850.IH
H2850
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(F) an animal protective association that 
operates physical animal sheltering facilities 
and offers households pets to the public for 
adoption by way of an established adoption pro-
gram.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:15 Jun 04, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2850.IH
H2850
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS