GEORGIA (WRBL) — Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Thom Tillis are introducing the Bring Animals Relief and Kibble (BARK) Act intended to encourage animal shelter donations by changing liability protections on good-faith donations.
Senator Warnock's office says the new legislation would aid animal shelters across Georgia through amending the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. This act waives liability for good-faith donations going to non-profits serving humans — by amending it, liability will also be waived for good-faith donations to animal shelters.
Warnock's office released this statement on the announcement:
"Every year, pet stores throw away tons of expired pet food instead of donating to animal shelters out of fear that they can be held legally liable by the shelters. At the same time, animal shelters have struggled to meet the needs of their communities due to inflation and lower donation levels, and in recent months, animal shelters around the country have reported overcrowding, concerns about running low on pet food and a drop-off in charitable donations during the pandemic.
The BARK Act would help mitigate the food shortages facing shelters, while also helping to reduce the millions of pounds of pet food that end up wasted in landfills each year. The legislation is endorsed by 58 organizations, including the Georgia Humane Society, Georgia Pet Coalition, Georgia Shelter Alliance, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Animal Welfare Institute, and Best Friends. The House companion legislation is led by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8), Lucy McBath (D-GA-7), Young Kim (R-CA-40), and David Joyce (R-OH-10)."
To Senator Warnock, the legislation is a way to help Georgia animal shelters such as Paws Humane Society.
“We all know it’s a dog’s life for many Georgia animal shelters, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Senator Warnock, “This commonsense legislation reduces pet store food waste, and supports critical shelters, like Paws Humane Society in Columbus, that do so much to meet the needs of our community. I’m proud to partner with Senator Tillis on this bipartisan legislation that will help support our four-legged friends.”
WRBL has reached out to Paws to hear how the change will impact its shelter. We will update this article with that information soon.
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