National Police Association Backs LEASH Act to Track Animal Abusers

Introduced by Rep. Greg Steube, H.R. 9078 aims to close reporting gaps that the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System—which tracks broad crime trends rather than individual convictions—cannot currently address. Co-sponsored by Reps. Jefferson Van Drew and Randy Fine, the legislation is now under review by the House Judiciary Committee. The bill incentivizes state participation by prioritizing jurisdictions for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding if they voluntarily contribute offender data to the system.

Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director for the NPA, notes that the current lack of a national standard hinders the ability of shelters to screen potential adopters and leaves officers without critical history when investigating suspects. The proposed database does not create new federal offenses, nor does it mandate changes to how local agencies manage their existing data. Instead, it provides a centralized resource intended to prevent repeat offenses by ensuring that an individual’s history of violence against animals follows them regardless of their jurisdiction.