(1) A higher education facility that receives public money, including tax exempt status, or a facility that provides research in collaboration with a higher education facility, that utilizes dogs or cats for scientific, educational, or research purposes, upon conclusion of a dog or cat’s use for scientific, educational, or research purposes shall:

(a) Have the facility’s attending veterinarian or designee assess the health of the dog or cat and determine if the dog or cat is suitable for adoption, consistent with guidelines promulgated by the American veterinary medical association; and

(b) Make reasonable efforts to offer the dog or cat for adoption, when the dog or cat is deemed suitable for adoption, through the facility’s own adoption program or through an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group as defined in RCW 82.04.040. A facility that offers dogs or cats for adoption to an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group under this section may enter into an agreement to facilitate adoptions.

(2) Nothing in this section shall:

(a) Create a duty upon an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group to accept a dog or cat offered for adoption by a research facility; or

(b) Prohibit a facility from completing scientific research or educational use prior to making a suitability for adoption determination.

(3) A research facility that provides a dog or cat for adoption pursuant to this section is immune from any civil liability for acts or omissions relating to the adoption of a dog or cat pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, other than acts constituting willful or wanton misconduct.

Short title—2019 c 184: “This act may be known and cited as the homes for animal heroes act.” [ 2019 c 184 § 2.]