,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bhej  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #bj1 #bjai,miss 
,rice of ,new ,york 7for herself and    
,mr4 ,katko7 introduced the following   
bill2 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 homes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,humane        
,retirement ,act4  #b4 ,establishment of
 adoption policy for public health      
service agencies with respect to retired
 dogs and cats ,section #die of the     
,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #bhi;d7 is amended by adding  
the following3  7f7 ,establishment of   
adoption policy for public health       
service agencies with respect to retired
 dogs and cats  7#a7 ,in general        
,beginning one year after the date of   
the enactment of this subsection1       
guidelines of the ,secretary under      

subsection 7a77#c7 shall require animal 
care committees described in such       
subsection that conduct biomedical and  
behavioral research at ,public ,health  
,service funded ,federal agencies to1   
after the completion of any testing or  
research involving a dog or cat and     
prior to euthanizing such dog or cat1   
make a reasonable effort to offer such  
dog or cat for adoption1 if suitable1 in
 accordance with the following3  7,a7   
,such an animal care committee shall1   
after the completion of such testing or 
research involving a dog or cat and     
prior to euthanizing such dog or cat1   
assess the health and temperament of the
 dog or cat and determine whether it is 
suitable for adoption4  7,b7 ,if found  
to be suitable for adoption1 such an    
animal care committee shall make        
reasonable efforts to offer for adoption
 the dog or cat to an adopting party4   
7#b7 ,rules of construction ,nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed as-- 
7,a7 creating a duty upon an adopting   

party to accept a dog or cat offered by 
an animal care committee described in   
paragraph 7#a72 or  7,b7 prohibiting    
such committee from euthanizing a dog or
 cat if the requirements of this        
subsection are otherwise met4  7#c7     
,liability ,an animal care committee    
described in paragraph 7#a7 and any     
officer1 director1 employee1 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 subsection4  7#d7     
,adopting party defined ,for purposes of
 this subsection1 the term adopting     
party means-- 7,a7 an individual        
adopting a dog or cat through private   
placement2  7,b7 an animal rescue       
organization2  7,c7 an animal shelter   
organization2  7,d7 a society for the   
prevention of cruelty to animals2  7,e7 
a humane society2 or  7,f7 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 program4  4