Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) 📞 Phone: (202) 225-2676 💻 Contact Form: jordan.house.gov/contact
Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) 📞 Phone: (202) 225-5341 💻 Contact Form: raskin.house.gov/contact
Right now, animal advocates across the nation are watching Washington closely. On May 29, 2026, U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced a groundbreaking piece of federal legislation: H.R. 9078, officially known as the Law Enforcement Animal Safety Harm Reporting Act—or simply, the LEASH Act.
At its core, this bill addresses a glaring loophole in our current legal system. Currently, an individual convicted of felony animal cruelty can simply move across state lines, slip through the cracks, and legally adopt or purchase another pet. The LEASH Act aims to stop this cycle by directing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a centralized, national database tracking felony animal cruelty offenders. Under the current text, the DOJ would publish these identities to create a tool that shelters, pet stores, and breeders can consult before approving an adoption or sale.
It sounds like a commonsense solution, but as the bill moves into the spotlight, an important debate has emerged within the animal welfare community itself regarding how this information should be handled.
The Debate: Public Exposure vs. Effective Enforcement
The current version of the LEASH Act calls for a publicly accessible database. While public awareness is a powerful tool, several prominent animal advocacy organizations—including the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)—have raised practical concerns about fully public registries.
The primary concern is that making these lists entirely open to the public can sometimes have an unintended, counterproductive effect. Rather than deterring crime, public shaming can drive underground the very individuals who need to be monitored. When abusers are publicly ostracized, they may resort to acquiring animals through unregulated, black-market channels or private, unchecked sales where no registry will ever be consulted.
Instead of a fully public directory, many legal experts and advocates argue for a more targeted approach:
- Restricted Access: Keeping the national registry accessible only to law enforcement agencies, authorized shelters, rescue organizations, and licensed pet retailers.
- Strict Possession Bans: Pairing a private database with ironclad, court-enforced possession bans that legally prohibit convicted abusers from owning, harboring, or living with an animal for a set period.
By keeping the database restricted to the organizations responsible for placing animals, we can effectively slam the door on abusers trying to adopt, without driving the problem further into the shadows.
Where the Bill Stands Right Now (And How to Help)
Whether the final law features a fully public database or a restricted network for shelters and law enforcement, one thing is certain: we need a national tracking system.
Right now, H.R. 9078 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Before it can ever be debated or voted on by the full Congress, it has to be cleared by this committee. The gatekeepers who hold the keys to scheduling this bill for a vote are Chairman Jim Jordan and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin. If these leaders don’t hear from us, the bill risks gathering dust in committee.
Take Action Today!
We need to flood the mailboxes and phone lines of the House Judiciary Committee. Call or use their official web forms today. Tell them that protecting our communities means stopping repeat animal abusers from crossing state lines to find their next victims.
Demand that they bring the LEASH Act (H.R. 9078) to the floor for a debate and a vote!
Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) 📞 Phone: (202) 225-2676 💻 Contact Form: jordan.house.gov/contact
Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) 📞 Phone: (202) 225-5341 💻 Contact Form: raskin.house.gov/contact