,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #abbh  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #ad1       
#bjai,ms4 ,judy ,chu of ,california 7for
 herself and ,mr4 ,katko7 introduced the
 following bill2 which was referred to  
the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a    
,,bill  ,to amend title #ah1 ,united    
,states ,code1 with respect to civil    
forfeitures relating to certain seized  
animals4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,help ,extract      
,animals from ,red ,tape ,act of #bjai  
or the ,,heart ,act of #bjai4  #b4      
,reduced notice period  7a7 ,notice     
timing for cases of animal seizure      
,section #ihc7;a77#a77;,a7 of title #ah1
 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by   
adding at the end the following new     
clause3  7vi7 ,with respect to an animal
 seized under section #bf of the ,animal
 ,welfare ,act or under section #aiee of
 this title1 clauses 7i71 7ii71 7iii71  
and 7v71 shall be applied by            
substituting #cj-;days for #fj-;days4  4

  7b7 ,notice procedures for cases of   
animal seizure ,section #ihc7;a77#a7 of 
title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 as    
amended by this ,act1 is amended-- 7#a7 
in subparagraph 7,b7 by inserting and   
with respect to an animal seized under  
section #bf of the ,animal ,welfare ,act
 or section #aiee of this title1 that   
the delay is warranted in light of the  
criteria in subparagraph 7,g7 after if  
the official determines that the        
conditions in subparagraph 7,d7 are     
present12  7#b7 in subparagraph 7,c7 by 
inserting and with respect to an animal 
seized under section #bf of the ,animal 
,welfare ,act or section #aiee of this  
title1 that the delay is warranted in   
light of the criteria in subparagraph   
7,g7 after that the conditions in       
subparagraph 7,d7 are present12 and     
7#c7 by adding after subparagraph 7,f71 
the following3  7,g7 ,with respect to an
 animal seized under section #bf of the 
,animal ,welfare ,act or section #aiee  
of this title1 the period for sending   

notice under this paragraph may be      
extended only after consideration of the
 following3  7i7 ,the cost to the       
government of caring and providing      
shelter for the animal4  7ii7 ,the      
psychological and physical health of the
 animal and the effect the delay will   
have on its rehabilitation4  7iii7 ,any 
increased risk that the delay could     
necessitate the euthanasia of the       
animal4  4  #c4 ,seizures of animals    
7a7 ,payment for certain costs ,section 
#ebd7;c77#a7 of title #bh1 ,united      
,states ,code1 is amended by adding     
after subparagraph 7,i71 the following3 
7,j7 payment for the transportation1    
shelter1 care1 veterinary services1 and 
where appropriate1 humane euthanasia of 
an animal seized under section #bf of   
the ,animal ,welfare ,act or under      
section #aiee of title #ah4  4  7b7     
,reimbursement and proportionality      
,section #ihc7;h7 of title #ah1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end1 the following3  7#d7 ,in any   

civil forfeiture proceeding in which the
 ,government prevails1 the court shall  
require the claimant1 to reimburse the  
,united ,states for any actual and      
reasonable costs to the government for  
the transportation1 shelter1 care1      
veterinary services1 or where           
appropriate1 humane euthanasia of an    
animal that was the subject of the      
proceeding4 ,the reimbursement shall be 
credited to the agency or fund that was 
used to pay the costs being reimbursed4 
7#e7 ,in any civil forfeiture proceeding
 in which an animal is subject of the   
proceeding1 the court may reduce the    
size of a reimbursement based on any of 
the following factors3  7,a7 ,the       
seriousness of the offense4  7,b7 ,the  
culpability of the claimant4  7,c7 ,the 
claimant's prior record4  7,d7 ,the     
claimant's financial condition and need 
to support a family4  7,e7 ,the purpose 
of the forfeiture statute in question4  
4