I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5175 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to establish a pilot grant program for mobile pet shelters during emer-
gencies and major disasters. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 8, 2023 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Ms. TITUS, Mr. MAST, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, 
Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CARSON, Ms. MOORE of Wis-
consin, Ms. ROSS, and Mr. PETERS) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency to establish a pilot grant program for 
mobile pet shelters during emergencies and major disas-
ters. 
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 ‘‘Providing Essential 
Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 
2023’’ or the ‘‘PETSAFE Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(2) 
EMERGENCY.—The 
term 
‘‘emergency’’ 
means an emergency declared by the President 
under title V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191 
et seq.). 
(3) MAJOR DISASTER.—The term ‘‘major dis-
aster’’ means a major disaster declared by the Presi-
dent under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Dis-
aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170 et seq.). 
(4) COMMON
HOUSEHOLD
PET.—The term 
‘‘common household pet’’ means an animal, includ-
ing a dog, cat, bird, rodent, rabbit, or turtle, that is 
kept in the home as a companion animal rather than 
for commercial purposes. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the 
Administrator, in coordination with State, local, and Trib-
al governments, shall establish and conduct a pilot pro-
gram to provide grants for equipping mobile pet shelter 
sites for use during emergencies and major disasters. 
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(b) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of the pilot 
program under this section, the Administrator may 
provide funds to State, local, and Tribal govern-
ments to establish a new pet shelter site that is a 
mobile unit, which may be a companion animal mo-
bile equipment trailer, to be used in the case of evac-
uation due to emergencies and major disasters. 
(2) DUTIES.—The duties of such mobile unit 
shall be to— 
(A) provide— 
(i) immediate and temporary shelter 
to common household pets in the case of 
government directed or ordered evacuation 
at embarkation sites in the impacted juris-
diction or shelters or reception sites within 
the impacted jurisdiction or a host jurisdic-
tion; or 
(ii) provide safe transport of common 
household pets that require shelter during 
evacuations and relocate pets to a safe lo-
cation; and 
(B) facilitate the reunification of common 
household pets, including return transport, if 
necessary, with the owners of such pets not 
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later than 3 weeks after all evacuation warnings 
are lifted and disaster-caused congregate shel-
ters operation transition and close. 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator shall submit to Congress a report 
on the effectiveness of the pilot program. 
(B) CONTENTS.—The Administrator shall 
include in the report required under subpara-
graph (A)— 
(i) an assessment of the effectiveness 
of the pilot program under this section, in-
cluding consultation with State, local, and 
Tribal governments and private nonprofit 
organizations with responsibility for care 
and sheltering of household pets; 
(ii) an assessment of cost savings to 
State, local, and Tribal governments and 
any benefits to individuals and households 
who housed a common household pet with 
a mobile shelter under the pilot program; 
(iii) findings and conclusions of the 
Administrator with respect to the pilot pro-
gram; 
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(iv) an assessment of additional au-
thorities needed to aid the Agency in its 
mission of providing disaster assistance to 
individuals and households with pets, ei-
ther under the pilot program under this 
section or other potential programs; and 
(v) any recommendations of the Ad-
ministrator for additional authority to con-
tinue or make permanent the pilot pro-
gram. 
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM PROJECT APPROVAL. 
The authority of the Administrator to approve a 
project under this section shall cease on January 1, 2029. 
Æ 
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