Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Reintroduction Act of 2024 Introduced in the House of Representatives

Silver Spring, Md. (April 15, 2024) - The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) strongly supports passage of the bipartisan Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Reintroduction Act, legislation introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressional Zoo and Aquarium Caucus Co-Chairs Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL).

"Congressmen Garbarino and Quigley have made a critical contribution to the cause of wildlife conservation with the introduction of this legislation," said Dan Ashe, President and CEO of AZA. "This bill supports federal agencies in their mission to conserve endangered and threatened species, federal law enforcement in their fight to end wildlife trafficking, and the people in the zoo, aquarium, and sanctuary world whose passion and mission are to care for the most vulnerable animals."

The Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Reintroduction Act (WR3), which was developed in partnership with AZA, sets forth two programmatic policies:

• WR3 establishes a Rescue and Recovery Grant Program to support rescue, rehabilitation, and confiscation-related work. Supported activities include expenses related to facility costs, food, veterinary care, direct animal care staff, transportation costs, reintroduction efforts, developing networks of facilities qualified to conduct these activities, and more.
• WR3 codifies all aspects of the Wildlife Confiscations Network. By acting as a single point of contact for federal wildlife law enforcement, the Wildlife Confiscations Network establishes a cooperative and coordinated confiscation response that can help address immediate triage needs through a network of qualified facilities. The Wildlife Confiscations Network currently operates as a pilot program in Southern California; this legislation will expand it nationwide.

WR3 also develops a partnership approach with regard to these activities by recognizing and supporting the invaluable role zoos, aquariums, and related facilities play in the rescue, rehabilitation, and reintroduction of threatened and endangered species.

This week, more than 100 AZA advocates from across the United States will gather in Washington, D.C. for AZA's annual Advocacy Day. Growing support for WR3 will be the primary goal of their advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.

About AZA

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and 12 other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.