Sponsors (19)
The bill increases federal support for animal disaster preparedness—improving pet and responder safety and response capacity—while raising federal spending and creating potential local trade-offs and ongoing costs for smaller jurisdictions.
State, local, and tribal governments can receive a 90% federal cost share for pet- and animal-preparedness purchases, substantially reducing local outlays for shelters, transport, and response equipment.
Local and state emergency responders and communities will gain stronger disaster response capacity because grants fund training, animal response teams, and disaster-management software, which can speed rescues and lower animal-related public-health risks.
Households with companion animals — including families in rural areas — may get better emergency care and sheltering because grants explicitly cover crates, supplies, veterinary items, and field-rescue equipment.
Taxpayers nationwide may face higher federal spending because the federal cost-share for animal-preparedness purchases is raised to 90% (above the typical ~50% rate).
State and local emergency managers could redirect limited local budgets toward animal-specific equipment funded by grants, potentially reducing resources for other emergency management priorities.
Smaller jurisdictions, tribal communities, and rural localities may incur ongoing maintenance and operational costs (storage, generator fuel, trailer upkeep) for newly funded equipment that exceed initial grant purchases.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Permits EMPG funds for specified pet and companion-animal preparedness items and raises the Federal cost-share for those activities from 50% to 90%.
Amends the Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program to allow states, localities, and tribal governments to use EMPG funds for specific pet and companion-animal emergency preparedness items and activities. For those listed pet-related activities, the Federal cost-share rises from 50% to 90%, reducing the local match requirement. The bill lists specific allowable uses (examples: portable crates, veterinary supplies, mobile trailers, generators, training, and animal response teams) and does not itself appropriate new money — it changes how existing EMPG funds may be used and the Federal share for those activities.
Introduced February 9, 2026 by Brian Jeffrey Mast · Last progress February 9, 2026