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This bill — known as the Help Extract Animals from Red Tape (HEART) Act of 2018 — would expedite the disposition process for animals seized in federal animal fighting cases, hold offenders financially responsible for the care of animals in custody, and allow courts to take animals’ welfare into account when considering legal delays.

Specifically, this bill would:

Accelerate the disposition process by reducing the notice period following the seizure of animals under federal animal fighting or gambling statutes from 60 to 30 days;
Require courts to consider animals’ welfare and costs to the government when seeking to extend the notice period;
Require claimants to reimburse the costs of caring for animals seized in federal animal fighting cases when the government prevails in civil forfeiture proceedings; and
Give judges to discretion to allow the consideration of the claimant’s culpability, financial condition, and other factors when requiring and determining the reimbursement.

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Should Animals Freed From Fighting Rings be Available for Adoption Sooner?