This bill would block federal funds from flowing to any state or local government that prohibits residents from owning dogs. Here's what you need to know — the actual text, where it stands, and how to make your voice heard.
Prohibits federal funds from going to any state or local government that bans residents from owning dogs or considers dog ownership forbidden ("haram") under religious law.
Includes a nonbinding statement that "Sharia law is a foreign concept that is against the pursuit of happiness" and that "it is a right of all Americans to own a dog."
Reps. Brandon Gill (R-TX), Chip Roy (R-TX), Mary Miller (R-IL), and Keith Self (R-TX). Roy and Self co-chair the Sharia Free America Caucus.
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. No hearings have been scheduled as of the date of this page.
The bill was introduced following a social media exchange between Rep. Fine and pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani, a supporter of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Kiswani posted that "dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets" and that "NYC is coming to Islam." She later said the post was satirical.
Rep. Fine responded that "the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one," drawing bipartisan criticism and calls for censure from House Democrats.
Whether you support or oppose this bill, your representative needs to hear from you. Here's how to find and contact them.
Enter your ZIP code on House.gov to find your House member's name, office, phone, and contact form.
Find your two U.S. Senators and their contact information on Senate.gov.
Review the actual legislative language on Congress.gov before reaching out.
See who sits on the committee that will decide this bill's fate. Contact them directly.
Adapt this to your own words and position — calls are more effective than emails.
No jurisdiction in the United States is known to prohibit residents from owning dogs outright. Some municipalities have breed-specific legislation restricting certain breeds (e.g., pit bulls), but those are unrelated to religious law.
Most bills introduced in Congress never make it out of committee. If no hearings or markup sessions are scheduled, the bill effectively dies at the end of the 119th Congress (January 2027). However, it can be reintroduced in a future session.
As introduced, the bill has only Republican co-sponsors. No Democratic members have signed on as of this writing.
The full text is available on Congress.gov. We always encourage reading the primary source.
You can track this bill directly on Congress.gov, which offers email alerts when the bill's status changes. We'll also update this page as developments occur.