Editorial Notes
Amendments

2021—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–81 substituted “shall” for “may”.

Subsec. (f)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1883(b)(2), substituted “section 2387” for “section 2410r”.

Subsec. (g)(2)(A). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1081(a)(42), inserted “or” after semicolon at end.

Subsec. (i)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1883(b)(2), substituted “section 2387” for “section 2410r”.

2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(1), inserted “Transfer or” before “Adoption” in heading and substituted “transfer or adoption” for “adoption” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(2), inserted “Transfer or” before “Adoption” in heading and substituted “transfer or adoption” for “adoption” in first sentence and “transferability or adoptability” for “adoptability” in second sentence.

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(3)(A), inserted “transfer or” before “adoption” and “, by” after “recommended priority” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(3)(B), inserted “adoption” before “by”.

Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(3)(B), (C), inserted “adoption” before “by” and “or organizations” after “persons”.

Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(3)(D), substituted “transfer to” for “by”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(a)(4), inserted “or Adopted” after “Transferred” in heading and substituted “transferred or adopted” for “transferred” in pars. (1) and (2), and “transfer or adoption” for “transfer” in two places in par. (2).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(b)(2), added subsec. (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(b)(1), (c), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and amended it generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. consisted of pars. (1) to (3) relating to transfer of retired military working dogs. Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(b)(1), redesignated subsec. (g) as (h). Former subsec. (h) redesignated (i).

Subsec. (h)(3). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(d), substituted “transfer of military working dogs to law enforcement agencies before the end of the dogs’ useful working lives.” for “adoption of military working dogs by law enforcement agencies before the end of the dogs’ useful lives.”

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(b)(1), redesignated subsec. (h) as (i).

Subsec. (i)(2). Pub. L. 116–92, § 372(e), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “A horse owned by the Department of Defense.”

2018—Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 115–232 added par. (3).

2016—Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 114–328 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “A military working dog.”

2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(a), substituted “shall make” for “may make” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(b), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Military animals may be adopted under this section by law enforcement agencies, former handlers of these animals, and other persons capable of humanely caring for these animals. If the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that an adoption is justified under subsection (a)(2) under circumstances under which the handler of a military working dog is wounded in action, the dog may be made available for adoption only by the handler. If the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that such an adoption is justified under circumstances under which the handler of a military working dog is killed in action or dies of wounds received in action, the military working dog shall be made available for adoption only by a parent, child, spouse, or sibling of the deceased handler.”

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(d)(1), (2), (4), designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, of par. (1), and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(c), substituted “shall transfer” for “may transfer” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(d)(3)(A), struck out “, and no suitable adoption is available at the military facility where the dog is located,” after “should be retired” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (f)(1)(B). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(d)(3)(B), inserted “within the United States” after “to another location”.

Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 114–92, § 342(e), added subsec. (g) and redesignated former subsec. (g) as (h).

2013—Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 112–239, § 371(a), as amended by Pub. L. 113–66, § 1091(b)(2), added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g).

2011—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 112–81, § 351(1), inserted “, including circumstances under which the handler of a military working dog is killed in action, dies of wounds received in action, or is medically retired as a result of injuries received in action,” after “extraordinary circumstances”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–81, § 351(2), inserted at end “If the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that an adoption is justified under subsection (a)(2) under circumstances under which the handler of a military working dog is wounded in action, the dog may be made available for adoption only by the handler. If the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that such an adoption is justified under circumstances under which the handler of a military working dog is killed in action or dies of wounds received in action, the military working dog shall be made available for adoption only by a parent, child, spouse, or sibling of the deceased handler.”.

Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 112–81, § 1061(20), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f) and struck out former subsec. (f). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (f) read as follows: “The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress an annual report specifying the number of military animals adopted under this section during the preceding year, the number of these animals currently awaiting adoption, and the number of these animals euthanized during the preceding year. With respect to each euthanized military animal, the report shall contain an explanation of the reasons why the animal was euthanized rather than retained for adoption under this section.”

2008—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted “Animals” for “Dogs” in heading.

2006—Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(1), substituted “animals” for “working dogs” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 109–163, § 599(d), struck out “at end of useful working life” after “adoption” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2)–(4), substituted “animal’s” for “dog’s” in pars. (1) and (2) and “animal” for “dog” wherever appearing, and struck out “working” after “may make a military” in introductory provisions and after “useful” in pars. (1) and (2).

Pub. L. 109–163, § 599(a), (b), substituted “Secretary of the military department concerned may” for “Secretary of Defense may”, “such military department” for “the Department of Defense”, and “, unless the dog has been determined to be unsuitable for adoption under subsection (b), under circumstances as follows:” and pars. (1) to (3) for “at the end of the dog’s useful working life or when the dog is otherwise excess to the needs of the Department, unless the dog has been determined to be unsuitable for adoption under subsection (b).”

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2), (3), (5), substituted “the adoptability of the animal” for “a dog’s adoptability” and “animal” for “dog” in two places and struck out “working” after “military”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2), (3), substituted “animals” for “dogs” wherever appearing and struck out “working” after “Military”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2), (3), substituted “animal” for “dog” and struck out “working” after “military”.

2006—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(3), substituted “animal” for “dog” wherever appearing in text.

Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2), struck out “working” after “military” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(2), (3), substituted “animal” for “dog” in two places and “animals” for “dogs” wherever appearing and struck out “working” after “military” in two places.

Pub. L. 109–163, § 599(c), inserted “of Defense” after “Secretary”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–364, § 352(a)(6), added subsec. (g).

2001—Pub. L. 107–107 renumbered section 2582 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by section 1883(b)(2) of Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title X, § 1091(b), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 876, provided in part that the amendment made by section 1091(b)(2) is effective as of Jan. 2, 2013, and as if included in Pub. L. 112–239 as enacted.