McFall proposes state bill to support foster animals

LANSING — A bipartisan bill proposed by state Rep. Mike McFall aims to provide financial relief for those who foster animals.

If approved by the state Legislature, House Bill 5063 will provide a $50 credit per animal fostered for a minimum of seven days, with another $50 for every 30 additional days of fostering, for up to five animals per year.

The program would begin with the 2026 tax year and adjust the credit annually for inflation. Verification would be required from qualifying nonprofits or municipal shelters.

“I’m a big animal lover, and I follow on social media a lot of rescues and local shelters, and I see constant calls for fosters because they’re overflowing with animals,” said McFall, D-Hazel Park.

House Bill 5063 is co-sponsored by state Rep. Joe Aragona, R-Clinton Township. It was developed in collaboration with Michigan Humane and aims to shore up support for foster homes.

Proponents say with the cost of living rising, more people are being forced to choose between paying their bills and keeping their pets, increasing the need for foster families.

In addition, there are situations where people are temporarily unable to care for their pets due to medical emergencies, domestic violence or other circumstances.

In such cases, many have sought relief through Michigan Humane’s Safety Net program, which finds foster homes for pets until their owners are ready to home them again.

The demand for the program has been high. In the first half of 2025, Michigan Humane’s program received 441 inquiries about the service. But due to the limited availability of homes able to accept animals on short notice, only 42 pets from 21 families were fostered.

“There are two angles here,” McFall said. “We’re trying to help relieve some of the foster needs for shelters and rescues, but also there’s a huge need for temporary fosters for people who still want their animal, but they need someone to take care of it briefly for them.

“I’m sure families would much rather keep the pet while using a temporary shelter until they get back on their feet,” he said. “To them, their animals are part of the family.”   

Supporters of the bill say that by providing a tax credit to make fostering more affordable, more homes will be able to open their doors to those in need.

“Michigan Humane often refers to our foster caregivers as ‘in-home heroes,’ because that is truly what they are. The difference they make in each individual animal’s life is immeasurable,” said Laura Kniffen, foster program manager for Michigan Humane, via email. “They provide much needed relief to staff when our shelters are overrun with animals, especially during kitten season.”

She said that keeping animals in a home environment lowers their stress, improves their health and helps socialize them. It also reveals their true personalities — valuable information that helps Michigan Humane find them the right home.

In cases where a pet already has a home and is waiting to be reunited with their owner, foster families ensure the pet is not lost forever.

“They do this by taking the owned pet into their homes, caring for them and loving them as their own until the owner is ready to reunite with them,” Kniffen said. “The need for this program is vast, especially with the current housing crisis.”

While Michigan Humane tries to provide its foster families with supplies, there are still costs involved, such as traveling to and from veterinary appointments. That’s where the tax credit from House Bill 5063 makes a difference.

“The proposed bill would be a way to make (foster families) feel appreciated by recognizing that the work they do is valued,” Kniffen said.

Mike Webb — the mayor of Hazel Park who worked alongside McFall on the Hazel Park City Council when McFall was a member — said that he’s heartened to see his former colleague continuing to help the community.

“(McFall) has a big heart,” Webb said. “He goes the extra mile to make sure people are taken care of, and that’s what good leaders do. He’s creating opportunities for people to take care of their loved ones, and that includes their pets.”