Bill > HF2490

This bill establishes a new Companion Animal Board in Minnesota to promote the welfare of cats, dogs, and other pets. The board will consist of 13 members appointed by the governor, representing veterinary medicine, local communities, animal shelters, rescues, breeders, and mental health professionals. The board's primary responsibilities include enforcing state laws related to companion animal licensing and inspection, providing education about companion animal care, collecting and analyzing data on companion animal welfare, and administering a grant program to support animal welfare organizations. The board will have a specific focus on companion animals, explicitly excluding agricultural animals, wild animals, and racehorses. It will create a companion animal account to receive fees, gifts, and grants, and will be appropriated $2,854,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $3,057,000 in fiscal year 2027 to carry out its duties. The board will transfer certain licensing and inspection responsibilities from the Board of Animal Health starting July 1, 2026, and will be required to publish an annual report detailing its activities and grant distributions. Notably, the board is designed to support the human-animal bond and provide resources and services to improve companion animal welfare across Minnesota.

Government Affairs

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2490&ssn=0&y=2025