Rep. Calvert Introduces the BOWOW Act

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) introduced the “Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act” or BOWOW Act, H.R.4638, to protect animals used by federal law enforcement agencies. In June, an immigrant from Egypt assaulted Customs and Border Patrol agriculture detector dog, Freddie, a beagle who had detected prohibited items in the luggage of the offending immigrant at Dulles Airport. The BOWOW Act would make the assault of an animal used by federal law enforcement a deportable offense under Section 237(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would also make applicants with such offenses on their record inadmissible to the U.S. under Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

“The dogs and horses on the front lines of our federal law enforcement efforts alongside our officers deserve our protection,” said Rep. Calvert. “The BOWOW Act sends a clear message that we will stand up for our four-legged friends and have zero tolerance for any immigrants who assault them. Animals, like Freddie, work every day to keep Americans safe – we owe it to Freddie to do our best to keep him safe too.”

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