Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act

H.R. 712, the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act, would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include data on animal abuse in the national clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse and neglect. The amendment broadens the data categories to capture “the incidence of any such cases related to animal abuse,” covering acts or failures to act that cause harm to animals, even if those acts would not violate state or local cruelty laws. In short, the bill expands the national data repository to track connections between animal abuse and broader child welfare concerns, aiming to improve understanding and prevention. The bill does not establish new funding or specific implementation steps beyond modifying the data inclusion requirement. If enacted, it would obligate HHS to incorporate animal-abuse data into existing child-abuse data systems, which could influence research, policy, and prevention strategies that address risk factors overlapping between animal welfare and child welfare.