Sponsors (13)
The bill could improve CBP officer wellbeing and help rehome shelter dogs through a short pilot, but it requires federal spending and a rapid rollout that could strain resources and risk service disruption when the pilot ends.
CBP personnel: gain access to trained support dogs to improve officer wellbeing and provide operational and therapeutic support.
Local governments and animal shelters: rehoming shelter dogs to CBP creates demand for local shelters and can reduce shelter populations.
Taxpayers and DHS: a limited three-year pilot lets DHS test effectiveness, costs, and implementation issues before committing to a broader program.
Taxpayers and federal agencies: CBP/DHS will incur costs for dog adoption, veterinary care, training, housing, and program management.
CBP personnel and program managers: the 60-day setup requirement could strain resources, produce rushed procurement, or weaken oversight.
CBP personnel: if the pilot succeeds but ends after three years without transition planning, services could be disrupted and support lost.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs CBP to run a 3-year pilot adopting shelter dogs and training them as support dogs, established within 60 days of enactment.
Requires the Department of Homeland Security, through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to set up a pilot program to adopt shelter dogs and train them as support dogs for CBP’s Support Canine Program within 60 days of enactment. The pilot must be established inside CBP and will end three years after it begins.
Official title: PEARL Act
Introduced June 12, 2025 by Tony Gonzales · Last progress November 20, 2025