Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 2023” or the “PETSAFE Act of 2023”.
Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 2023
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a pilot grant program for mobile pet shelters during emergencies and major disasters.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
Administrator— The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Emergency— The term “emergency” means an emergency declared by the President under title V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191 et seq.).
Major disaster— The term “major disaster” means a major disaster declared by the President under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.).
Common household pet— The term “common household pet” means an animal, including a dog, cat, bird, rodent, rabbit, or turtle, that is kept in the home as a companion animal rather than for commercial purposes.
Sec. 3 Pilot program
In general— The President, acting through the Administrator, in coordination with State, local, and Tribal governments, shall establish and conduct a pilot program to provide grants for equipping mobile pet shelter sites for use during emergencies and major disasters.
Administration—
In general— For the purposes of the pilot program under this section, the Administrator may provide funds to State, local, and Tribal governments to establish a new pet shelter site that is a mobile unit, which may be a companion animal mobile equipment trailer, to be used in the case of evacuation due to emergencies and major disasters.
Duties— The duties of such mobile unit shall be to—
provide—
immediate and temporary shelter to common household pets in the case of government directed or ordered evacuation at embarkation sites in the impacted jurisdiction or shelters or reception sites within the impacted jurisdiction or a host jurisdiction; or
provide safe transport of common household pets that require shelter during evacuations and relocate pets to a safe location; and
facilitate the reunification of common household pets, including return transport, if necessary, with the owners of such pets not later than 3 weeks after all evacuation warnings are lifted and disaster-caused congregate shelters operation transition and close.
Report—
In general— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of the pilot program.
Contents— The Administrator shall include in the report required under subparagraph (A)—
an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program under this section, including consultation with State, local, and Tribal governments and private nonprofit organizations with responsibility for care and sheltering of household pets;
an assessment of cost savings to State, local, and Tribal governments and any benefits to individuals and households who housed a common household pet with a mobile shelter under the pilot program;
findings and conclusions of the Administrator with respect to the pilot program;
an assessment of additional authorities needed to aid the Agency in its mission of providing disaster assistance to individuals and households with pets, either under the pilot program under this section or other potential programs; and
any recommendations of the Administrator for additional authority to continue or make permanent the pilot program.
Sec. 4 Pilot program project approval
The authority of the Administrator to approve a project under this section shall cease on January 1, 2029.