PEARL Act
Key claim: The PEARL Act (HR3965) requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish a pilot program adopting dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as support canines for grief assistance, trauma mitigation, and officer morale.
Abstract
(HR3965 · 119th Congress) Providing Emotional Assistance with Relief and Love Act or the PEARL Act This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to establish a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as support dogs for CBP’s Support Canine Program. Support dogs are used for grief assistance, trauma mitigation, and morale. Latest action (2025-11-20): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Why this matters
The PEARL Act is a narrow workforce-support measure that expands CBP’s existing Support Canine Program by requiring a shelter-sourced pilot, addressing officer mental health and morale without creating new authorities. Fiscal impact is expected to be modest given the pilot scope, but it establishes a template for interagency animal-welfare-linked wellness programs within DHS.