Tennessee House Bill HB2877

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/24
• Refer: 2/28/24

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 44 and Title 63, relative to animal care.

Impact

The change in adoption fees will have implications for both adopters and animal care facilities across Tennessee. With the new fee structure, animal shelters may experience an increase in revenue, which could be directed towards better food, healthcare, and housing for the animals. Supporters of the bill argue that raising the fee is necessary to ensure that shelters can maintain high care standards and prevent overcrowding, which often leads to negative outcomes for the animals.

Summary

House Bill 2877 aims to amend the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning animal care regulations. The primary focus of this bill is to increase the adoption fee for animals from twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to forty dollars ($40.00). This increase in the fee is intended to support improved standards of care for animals that are up for adoption. As such, it seeks to provide a more sustainable funding mechanism for animal shelters and related services that cater to the wellbeing of animals in the state.

Contention

Notably, there may be tension surrounding the increase in the adoption fee, as some advocates for pet adoption express concerns that higher fees could deter potential adopters, creating barriers for families wanting to adopt pets. Some opposition may come from within communities where economic constraints already limit the ability to adopt. Thus, while the bill aims to improve care standards, its potential impact on adoption rates could be a point of contention among stakeholders in animal welfare and potential pet adopters.