Sponsors (19)
The bill provides substantial federal support to improve animal-related emergency preparedness and response—reducing local costs and improving rescue/logistics—but increases federal spending and risks diverting limited preparedness resources and local administrative capacity away from human-focused needs.
State, local, and tribal governments can receive up to a 90% federal cost share for pet- and animal-related preparedness activities, substantially reducing local spending burdens for those jurisdictions.
Local and state responders and communities gain improved disaster response capacity and logistics through funded animal response team development, training, disaster-response software, and mobile trailers, speeding rescues and improving coordination.
Households with companion animals receive better emergency sheltering and rescue support via funded supplies (crates, pet/veterinary supplies, generators), reducing hardship for pet-owning families during disasters.
Grant prioritization for pet-related items could crowd out limited preparedness funding for human-focused emergency needs, potentially reducing resources for vulnerable people.
Expanding a 90% federal cost share for animal-related activities increases federal spending and could raise the overall budgetary cost borne by taxpayers.
Smaller jurisdictions and tribal governments may face administrative and compliance burdens to apply for and manage these additional grant categories, straining local capacity.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 9, 2026 by Brian Jeffrey Mast · Last progress February 9, 2026
Amends the federal emergency management grant statute to let states, localities, and tribal governments use grant funds for companion animal preparedness and response, and to raise the federal cost-share for those pet-related activities from the standard 50% up to 90%. It also lists specific eligible uses such as collapsible crates, mobile equipment trailers, veterinary supplies, sheltering equipment, generators, software, training, and animal response team development. The change does not appropriate new money; it modifies who can be reimbursed and at what federal share for eligible activities under the existing grant program, making it cheaper for subgrantees to buy pet-focused equipment and training during emergency preparedness and response efforts.