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HR3538FEDERALin_committee

Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025

May 21, 2025

wildlife law enforcement border security animal welfare trafficking

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Subcommittee Hearings HeldJun 24, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

This bill establishes a formal system to manage the care of thousands of live animals seized annually by federal agents, shifting the logistical burden of housing and medical treatment from government agencies to a network of private and non-profit facilities.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Federal wildlife law enforcement agencies

These agencies will use the Network as a single point of contact for the placement and care of seized animals.

Zoological and animal care facilities

These entities may apply to join the Network to provide triage and long-term housing for confiscated wildlife.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to create a nationwide network of zoos, aquariums, and rescue organizations to help federal agents care for live animals seized at U.S. borders. The program aims to expand a successful pilot project in Southern California to provide immediate housing and medical care for confiscated wildlife.

Key Facts

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a nationwide 'Wildlife Confiscations Network'.
Creates a voluntary, cooperative program to assist federal law enforcement with the placement and care of confiscated live animals.
Requires the Network to maintain a database of 'qualified animal care facilities' for triage and long-term housing.
Establishes a committee to review and approve applications from zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, rescue groups, and universities to join the network.
Designates the Network as the single point of contact for federal agents needing to place seized wildlife.
Defines 'confiscated animal' as a CITES-listed or threatened/endangered species seized at a U.S. border or port.
Requires the Secretary to partner with a professional accrediting zoological association.
Notes that between 2015 and 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service handled 834 cases involving 48,793 individual live animals.
Cites the success of a Southern California pilot program that placed over 4,100 animals in two years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of animals does this bill cover?

It covers animals listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) or species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Who can join the Wildlife Confiscations Network?

Qualified zoological facilities, aquariums, wildlife sanctuaries, animal rescue or rehabilitation organizations, universities, and nongovernmental organizations can apply if they meet specific care expertise requirements.

Is this a mandatory program for zoos and sanctuaries?

No, the bill describes the program as a voluntary, cooperative partnership.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Outsourcing Wildlife Care

The bill explicitly cites OMB Circular A-76 to justify moving the care of confiscated wildlife from government responsibility to private and non-profit facilities.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Connected Entities

personMike Quigley“U.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

personDonald J. Trump“Referenced regarding Executive Order No. 13773.”Map →

organizationAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums“Partner in the existing pilot program.”Map →

personAndrew Garbarino“U.S. Representative who introduced the bill.”Map →

organizationU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service“The federal agency responsible for implementing the network.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment15
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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