Feds outsource wildlife seizure care to zoos, sanctuaries nationwide

What it does

This bill establishes a nationwide Wildlife Confiscations Network—a voluntary partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and animal rescue organizations—to care for live animals and plants seized by federal law enforcement at U.S. borders and ports of entry. The Network creates a database of qualified facilities, a coordinating committee, and a single point of contact for law enforcement to place confiscated wildlife, reducing the burden on federal agents and ensuring proper care and evidence preservation. The bill authorizes $5 million annually through 2030 to operate the program.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core function is establishing a coordinated network for handling seized wildlife as part of federal law enforcement operations against illegal trafficking. It is a public-safety and law-enforcement support measure, not a commemorative, tax, or deregulatory bill.

What the text implies

• Shifts operational burden from federal agencies to private zoos and sanctuaries, which may face capacity constraints if trafficking seizures surge; facilities may need to negotiate care standards and liability protections not explicitly addressed in the bill.
• The Committee structure (with initial members appointed by the Secretary, then elected by members) creates a self-perpetuating governance model that may limit transparency and public input into which facilities qualify for the Network.
• Database of qualified facilities and confiscated animals may contain sensitive law enforcement information; data security and access controls are not specified, creating potential privacy or operational security gaps.

Who it affects

Ordinary citizens benefit from more effective wildlife trafficking enforcement (a national security and organized crime concern), improved animal welfare standards for seized creatures, and reduced burden on federal law enforcement so they can focus on criminal investigation. The program leverages existing private-sector expertise (zoos, sanctuaries) rather than expanding government capacity, lowering public cost while improving outcomes.

Who stands to gain

• zoological facilities
• aquarium operators
• wildlife sanctuaries
• animal rescue organizations
• universities with wildlife programs

Named in the bill

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Customs and Border Protection, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Endangered Species Act of 1973, Lacey Act Amendments of 1981, OMB Circular A-76

Where it stands

22 cosponsors: 17 Democrats, 5 Republicans.

• May 21, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• May 21, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources”
• Jun 24, 2025 — Hearing held · Congress.gov: “Subcommittee Hearings Held”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

6 lobbying clients named this bill on 11 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $305,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 6 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 82% of bills with at least one filing.

Andrew Garbarino, the sponsor, reported $1,954,500 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American Zoo and Aquarium Association — $100,000 on 2 filings
• Wildlife Conservation Society — $100,000 on 1 filing
• International Fund for Animal Welfare — $60,000 on 2 filings
• United States Association of Reptile Keepers — $25,000 on 2 filings
• Zoological Association of America — $20,000 on 2 filings

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 21, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.