Sponsors (10)
Official title: To establish a pilot program on home kenneling of canines for U.S. Customs and Border Protections Office of Field Operations, and for other purposes.
The bill trades a limited, evidence‑gathering pilot that could improve handler‑canine performance and inform national policy against the risk of short‑term administrative costs and the possibility that home kenneling could worsen canine performance and reduce detection effectiveness.
CBP and Congress will get systematic, multi-site evidence on whether home kenneling saves money or improves operational performance because the pilot collects cost‑benefit and performance data across at least 10 diverse ports.
CBP canine handlers can volunteer to kennel eligible working dogs at home during the pilot, which may strengthen handler‑canine bonding and improve on‑the‑job detection and performance for law enforcement missions.
If home kenneling turns out to harm canine health or reduce detection effectiveness, communities and border security operations could face reduced ability to detect contraband/threats and increased burden on handlers.
Setting up and overseeing a multi‑site pilot will require DHS/CBP administrative resources and staff time, creating additional short‑term costs for the agency and taxpayers during the study period.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires CBP OFO to run a voluntary, multi‑port canine home‑kenneling pilot, with guidance, training, and a post‑pilot report comparing home vs. centralized kenneling.
Introduced June 20, 2025 by Jose Luis Correa · Last progress June 20, 2025
Requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations to create a voluntary canine home‑kenneling pilot program within one year to test whether allowing handlers to house working canines at their residences improves outcomes for the agency, handlers, and dogs. The pilot must run at least two years across at least 10 diverse ports of entry, include guidance, training, and best practices developed with relevant DHS offices and union input, and conclude with a report to specified congressional committees comparing home kenneling to centralized kenneling and offering recommendations.