The PEARL Act (Providing Emotional Assistance with Relief and Love Act) directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish a pilot program that adopts dogs from local animal shelters and trains them to serve as therapy dogs for CBP employees and operations. The Department of Homeland Security must establish this program within 60 days of the bill's enactment and cover all associated costs through reimbursement to CBP. The pilot program will run for three years before automatically ending, unless Congress extends it. Additionally, the bill authorizes $1 million in funding for CBP's broader Support Canine Program. This legislation primarily affects CBP employees and operations, as well as local animal shelters that may provide dogs for the program.
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