LEASH Act of 2026 (H.R. 9078)

Summary

Makes states report felony animal cruelty convictions to the federal government to qualify for certain law enforcement grants.

What problem does this solve?

There is no national, public database for people convicted of serious animal abuse, making it hard to track them. This bill creates a national database by requiring states to report these convictions to the Attorney General.

What does this bill do?

Ties grant funding to animal cruelty reporting

Requires states to promise they will report felony animal cruelty convictions, including the names of those convicted, to be eligible for Byrne justice assistance grants.

Creates a public database of animal cruelty offenders

Directs the Attorney General to create and regularly update a publicly available database containing the names of individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty.

Adds animal cruelty data to crime reporting systems

Changes grant rules to favor local governments that submit data on felony animal cruelty convictions to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

Who does this affect?

State and local governments
Individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty
Animal welfare organizations

What is the real world impact?

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Creates a national animal abuser registry

Establishes a public database of individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty. This helps animal shelters, law enforcement, and the public identify and track offenders to prevent future abuse.

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Raises privacy and rehabilitation concerns

Making the names of convicted individuals public could lead to harassment and make it harder for them to find housing or jobs after their sentence. Critics might argue it is a form of double punishment.

When does this start?

This bill sets different start dates for its main parts.

Public database creation deadline

The Attorney General must create the public database of animal cruelty offenders no later than 2 years after the bill becomes law.

New grant application rules

The new reporting requirements for grant applications will apply starting in the first fiscal year that begins 2 years after the bill becomes law.