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Congress·In Committee·S. 4361

Pets Belong with Families Act

Public Housing: Pet Ownership Rules

This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and is being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. No further actions are scheduled at this time, and the bill is considered active as it waits for committee consideration.

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law
Unlikely to pass

Most bills introduced in the Senate do not become law. This bill would change how local housing offices operate, which often leads to debate and delays.

Key Points

  • This bill stops public housing agencies from banning pets based on their breed, size, or weight. This means families in government-funded housing could keep dogs that are often restricted by local rules.
  • It limits how much a housing agency can charge for a pet deposit. The deposit cannot be more than 10 percent of the tenant's monthly rent. If rent is 500 dollars, the pet deposit cannot be more than 50 dollars.
  • The bill makes it easier for families to pay the pet deposit by letting them spread the cost over at least three months. Agencies must also return any unused deposit money within 30 days after a tenant moves out.
  • Housing agencies cannot use pet deposits to pay for normal wear and tear or damage that was not caused by the animal.
  • Agencies can still limit the total number of pets in a unit based on its size. They can also ban specific animals if a court decides that individual animal is a danger to the public.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Apr 21, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 21, 2026

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Pets Belong with Families Act

Bill NumberS 4361
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.