Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 introduced to House of Representatives

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act has been introduced to the House of Representatives, which will establish a national cooperative and coordinated response for the care and well-being of wildlife confiscated from illegal trade at United States border crossings and ports of entry, with the endorsement of 60 organizations, which has been strongly supported by the AZA.

Statement from Congressmen Andrew Garbarino and Mike Quigley:
Garbarino, Quigley Introduce Bill to Combat Wildlife Trafficking
"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) introduced the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025, legislation to support federal law enforcement in combating wildlife trafficking and ensure the proper placement and care of confiscated live animals.
From 2015 to 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) handled 834 live wildlife interdiction cases, involving nearly 49,000 individual animals—an average of nearly 30 per day. Many of these animals require immediate medical care, secure quarantine, and long-term placement, often beyond the capacity of U.S. ports of entry.

The USFWS and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) launched a limited pilot Wildlife Confiscations Network in Southern California in 2023. While the pilot has helped coordinate placement in more than 135 cases and provided care for over 4,100 animals, its scope remains geographically narrow and operationally constrained. The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 would build on this initial framework and expand the program nationwide—ensuring law enforcement agencies across the country can access a coordinated, professional network of care for confiscated wildlife.

“Our border agents and federal inspectors work tirelessly to stop illegal wildlife trafficking, but they lack the resources and infrastructure to properly care for seized animals,” said Rep. Garbarino. “This bill will strengthen the federal response, relieve logistical burdens on law enforcement, and ensure that trafficked animals are treated humanely and professionally.”

"The Wildlife Confiscations Network has already placed over 4,100 confiscated animals into quality facilities," said Rep. Quigley. "I am proud to introduce legislation that expands this law enforcement network nationwide, ensuring that law enforcement officers are not unduly placed in harms way, and animals receive the care they need."

Specifically, the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 would:

• Establish a Wildlife Confiscations Network within the Department of the Interior, in partnership with a professional zoological accrediting association;
• Create a voluntary, nationwide program to coordinate the placement and care of confiscated wildlife seized at U.S. borders and ports of entry;
• Designate a single point of contact to assist federal law enforcement in placement coordination;
• Maintain a database of qualified facilities—including zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, rescues, and rehabilitation centers—that can provide immediate and long-term care;
• Create a review committee to evaluate applications from facilities seeking to join the Network;
• Authorize $5 million annually from FY2026 to FY2030 to implement and operate the Network.

The bill is endorsed by 58 leading organizations across the conservation and zoological community, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Wildlife Conservation Society, National Aquarium, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and Biologists Without Borders. Other supporters include Akron Zoological Park, Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, Birmingham Zoo, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, California Academy of Sciences, Center for Great Apes, Charles Paddock Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Dazzle Africa, Delaware Zoological Society, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, Detroit Zoological Society, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Great Plains Zoo, Houston Zoo, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Jenkinson's Aquarium, Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park, Lemur Conservation Foundation, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Lockwood Animal Rescue Center, Louisville Zoo, Museum of Life and Science, Nashville Zoo, Niabi Zoo, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Oakland Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, The Phoenix Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Racine Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Francisco Zoological Society, Santa Barbara Zoo, SEE Turtles, Sequoia Park Zoo, Tennessee Aquarium, Turtle Conservancy, Wild Tomorrow Fund, Inc., Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Defense, Wildlife Jewels, Woodland Park Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and Zoo Knoxville.

“We are grateful to Congressmen Garbarino and Quigley for sponsoring the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “This bill will allow an already proven program to go national, permitting law enforcement officers at the border to focus on catching criminals and curbing wildlife trafficking, while our expert Wildlife Confiscation Network partners provide emergency medical treatment, critical rehabilitation, and new homes focused on the wellbeing of these confiscated, and often traumatized, animals. When law enforcement and animal experts collaborate, we can put the criminals behind bars, help rehabilitate the animal victims of wildlife trafficking that are ripped from their homes, and reduce the impact on wild populations of threatened and endangered species. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums looks forward to working with Congress to pass this important bill.”"



Statement from the AZA:
Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 introduced to House of Representatives with endorsement of 60 organizations
“We are grateful to Congressmen Garbarino and Quigley for sponsoring the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act legislation,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “This bill will allow an already proven program to go national, permitting law enforcement officers at the border to focus on catching criminals and curbing wildlife trafficking, while our expert Wildlife Confiscation Network participants provide emergency medical treatment, critical rehabilitation, and new homes focused on the wellbeing of these confiscated, and often traumatized, animals.”
Over a recent five-year period, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intervened in more than 800 cases of live wildlife interdiction, involving nearly 50,000 individual live animals—an average of nearly 30 per day—each requiring placement and care. Aquariums and zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are experts in animal wellbeing and are often the first to be called to provide immediate care, housing, and rehabilitation for confiscated wildlife.

To better coordinate these efforts, in October 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums formed a cooperative agreement to implement a pilot Wildlife Confiscations Network in Southern California. Since its launch, the Network has assisted with over 135 wildlife trafficking cases and successfully placed over 4,100 animals into quality care.

Endorsed by 60 organizations, the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 will codify all aspects of this effective law enforcement program and enable the Network to expand across the country. By serving as a central point of contact for federal wildlife law enforcement, the Network concentrates the combined expertise and resources of 39 vetted organizations to address the immediate triage needs of trafficked wildlife.

“When law enforcement and animal experts collaborate, we can put more criminals behind bars, help rehabilitate the animal victims of wildlife trafficking, and reduce the impact on wild populations of threatened and endangered species,” said Ashe. “The Association of Zoos and Aquariums looks forward to working with Congress to pass this important bill.”