HELP PETS Act in plain language
1: Short title
This section would give the Act the short title "Higher Education Loses Payments for Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act," also called the "HELP PETS Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Higher Education Loses Payments for Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act or the HELP PETS Act .
2: Prohibition on availability of Federal Funds to Institutions of Higher Education that conduct painful research using dogs and cats
Starting 180 days after this Act becomes law, this section would block all Federal funds from being made available to any institution of higher education that conducts or funds, in whole or in part, painful research on dogs or cats. Two exceptions would apply: clinical veterinary research, and any physical exam, training program, or study relating to service animals or military animals. Clinical veterinary research means research on a dog or cat that has a naturally occurring disease or injury, where the research is conducted for the benefit of that dog or cat and with the intention of studying the effect of a procedure, device, or treatment protocol. Painful research is defined to include, but is not necessarily limited to, any research, biomedical training, experimentation, or biological testing that the Department of Agriculture classifies in pain category D or E. The terms institution of higher education, military animal, and service animal would carry the meanings already given to them in, respectively, section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, section 2583(i)(1) of title 10 of the United States Code, and section 37.3 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
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2. Prohibition on availability of Federal Funds to Institutions of Higher Education that conduct painful research using dogs and cats (a) In general Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may be made available to any institution of higher education that conducts or funds, in whole or in part, painful research on dogs or cats. (b) Exceptions Subsection (a) shall not apply to— (1) clinical veterinary research; or (2) any physical exam, training program, or study relating to service animals or military animals. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Clinical veterinary research The term clinical veterinary research means research on a dog or cat with a naturally occurring disease or injury that is conducted— (A) for the benefit of the dog or cat; and (B) with the intention of studying the effect of a procedure, device, or treatment protocol. (2) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1002 ). (3) Military animal The term military animal has the meaning given the term in section 2583(i)(1) of title 10, United States Code. (4) Painful research The term painful research includes any research, biomedical training, experimentation, or biological testing classified in pain category D or E by the Department of Agriculture. (5) Service animal The term service animal has the meaning given the term in section 37.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.