Happy Bill to Help Pet Owners
October 22, 2009

Pets deserve a bailout too!

The HAPPY bill, or Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act H.R. 3501 will allow pet owners to deduct pet care expenditures up to $3500 per year. This could come as a great boon to many pet families who are unable to afford the rising cost of veterinary care to keep their pets healthy. Many who have pets in their families have discovered the total costs of vet bills, and when that pet gets sick it can become extremely difficult to carry on in this economy.

U.S. Representitive Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) introduced the bill this past July 31st, 2009. Who knows, maybe pet families will see some ease of financial needs.

Act H.R. 3501, entitled "Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act", would institute a change within the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit pet owners to deduct up to $3500 from their taxable income expenses they occurred in providing adequate pet care. Most routine pet care expenses would be covered however the cost of purchasing a pet would not be covered. Pets that qualify should be able to be described as "a legally owned, domesticated, live animal" and therefore does not include animals that are owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business or animals that are used for research.

The HAPPY Act was introduced on 31 July, 2009, and was written based on research supplied by the American Pet Products Association’s National Pet Owners Survey and was then referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council is giving their full support and issued an alert on 5 August, 2009:

"Providing pet owners the opportunity to deduct pet care expenses is an important step toward ensuring that pet owners provide adequate veterinary and other necessary pet care. It encourages responsible pet ownership and will hopefully reduce the abandonment of pets by people struggling as a result of the economic downturn."


Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) has a bill out that would give pet owners a tax break of up to $3,500 for their pet-related expenses.

The HAPPY bill has a huge supporter in actor Robert Davi, perhaps best known for his villainous roles in James Bond and The Goonies.

According to ABCNews.com, Davi was the main force behind the bill's introduction. The actor owns four dogs and one cat and runs D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, an animal rescue foundation in California.

"This money goes back into the economy, and it encourages people to understand the social responsibilities we have toward animals," David told ABCNews.com.

Nancy Perry of the Humane Society called the legislation "as much a health care bill as any...It's a human health issue to ensure that pets are provided with better care because of the role they play in our families." Data from the Humane Society estimated that about 62% of households in America own a pet.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals estimates that cats cost "about $670 a year on average to take care of, while dogs are about $200 a year more expensive."

Please call or write your congresspeople to support this bill!

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