Take Political Action for Animals

Take Political Action for Animals

The following information can help you get politically educated, active and involved with a wide range of animal issues in the U.S.

To help get legislation passed that supports animal protection — please contact your state and federal legislators. Let them know that you care about their positions on animal protection and animal welfare policy and are paying attention to their performance on animal issues. If your legislators have not co-sponsored animal protection bills yet, ask them to co-sponsor current bills. See how your U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representatives have performed in this Congress on animal protection issues.

As a voter, use the Humane Scorecard as a resource when you go to the ballot box to determine how your federal lawmakers have sided on crucial animal protection legislation.

Current Animal Protection Legislation

Find out more about key federal animal welfare bills that are currently going through Congress, either through the House or Senate, or both here. These priority bills specifically address farm animals, wildlife, domestic and wild horses, pets and cruelty, and animals in research. Each bill includes a description, the original sponsor, co-sponsor, any additional sponsors, and the latest actions taken on the bill. Here’s a list of current animal welfare bills. You can support current legislation and help legislation get passed, by taking action here.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) publishes an annual Humane Scorecard of Congress to give you a snapshot of every federal legislator’s record on animal protection issues. We have listed Humane Scorecards for previous years below.

Want to Take Action to Help Animals?

Want to get more involved to support animals in your state or community? Here are some great resources to help you:

• Register to vote!
  • If you haven’t done so already, you can register online at www.Vote.org.
• How to become an effective Citizen lobbyist for animals
• Attend Town Meetings
• Calling Elected Officials
  • Call your U.S. Senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to support and co-sponsor animal legislation now pending in Congress. Find out who your U.S. senators are.
  • Call your U.S. Representative at 202-224-3121 and ask them to support and co-sponsor animal legislation now pending in Congress. Find out who your representative is.
• Do’s & Don’ts of Lobbying
• Visit the Humane Scorecard. See how they vote. Get to know your elected officials’ voting record. 
• Learn the Legislative Lingo, know the talking points on issues
• Schedule a meeting, introduce yourself, and ask for what you want
• Tips for Successful Lobbying
• Tips on Writing Letters to the Editor
• What Influences a Legislator?

Find Your Federal Legislators

Please fill out and submit your address and zip code below to find your federal elected officials. Your federal lawmakers represent you in the U.S. Congress and consider issues dealing with federal law.

After filling out and submitting your address and zip code, you can find the names and contact information of your federal lawmakers. You can find your state lawmakers here. Your state lawmakers represent you in your state’s legislature and consider state-specific issues.

Find Your State Legislators

If you know who your representative is but you are unable to contact them using their contact form, the Clerk of the House maintains addresses and phone numbers of all House members and Committees, or you may call (202) 224-3121 for the U.S. House switchboard operator. You can also find your state legislators here by entering your Zip Code.

Credit: Information provided by Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF)

HSLF HUMANE SCORECARDS

The Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) publishes an annual review about how our federal legislators voted during the past year. See how your U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative voted on animal protection and welfare issues in HSLF’s Annual Humane Scorecard.

You can take personal action by calling or writing your representative to thank them if they sponsored or co-sponsored a bill, or voted for protecting animals. If they aren’t listed as a sponsor, or co-sponsor, or they voted against protecting animals — then call or write them and let them know that you’re disappointed and would like them to support animal welfare and protection.

It’s important that our lawmakers know we’re paying attention and that we care about animal welfare issues.

2022 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

Read the 2022 Humane Scorecard to see how your federal legislators voted for or against animals.

2021 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

Read the 2021 HumaneScorecard PDF  – See how the Senate voted. See how the Congress voted on a range of key issues impacting animals.

2020 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

Read HSLF’s review of 2020 legislation for wildlife, farm animals, companion animals, equines, animals in research, and animal welfare enforcement. 

Read the HumaneScorecard_2020 – See how the Senate voted. See how the Congress voted on a range of key issues impacting animals.

2019 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

The biggest bipartisan legislation that happened in 2019 include the passage of The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, signed into law in November following unanimous approval in the Senate and House. This builds on the 2010 federal “crush video” law by prohibiting extreme animal cruelty that occurs on federal property or affects interstate commerce regardless of whether a video is created. The Rescuing Animals With Rewards (RAWR) Act, was signed into law in December as part of the fiscal year 2020 appropriations omnibus, authorizes the U.S. Department of State to combat international crime networks, including known terrorist organiza- tions, involved in wildlife trafficking. The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act won a sweeping 333-96 bipartisan House vote in July, and its companion bill now has over half the Senate as co- sponsors. The act would crack down on the cruel practice of horse soring by ending the failed system of industry self-policing, banning devices integral to soring and strengthening penalties. In addition, there were many successes in the YY2019 Omnibus Bill signed into law in February. Here is the midterm 2019 Humane Scorecard for the 116th Congress.

Download the midterm 2019 Humane Scorecard. See how your federal legislators stood on a range of key issues in 2019.

2018 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

There were some big advances on animal welfare legislation in 2018. In the November elections, California passed one of the most sweeping animal welfare reforms anywhere requiring more space for pigs and chickens and caged farm animals. In Florida, voters overwhelmingly passed Amendment 13, which banned greyhound racing in the state, and will be phased out in Florida by 2020. The Farm Bill was passed with three major provisions for animal welfare. One provision prohibits the import, export, and slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption; another expands the ban on animal fighting; and another, the Pet and Women Safety Act, provides support and law enforcement resources for victims of domestic violence who expect their abusive partner to abuse or kill their pets in retaliation if they leave. And on the private corporate front, there were nearly 400 companies, including Hyatt and Marriott, that committed themselves to better conditions for animals. Here is the final 2018 Humane Scorecard for the 115th Congressional House and Senate.

Download the final 2018 Humane Scorecard. See how your federal legislators stood on a range of key issues in 2018.

2017 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

The 2017 year has seen redoubled attacks on animals, as reflected in votes to gut animal protection and welfare regulations and revoke rules that protect wildlife on federal lands from inhumane killing methods. Here is the 2017 midterm Humane Scorecard for the House and Senate.  

2016 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

Read and download the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s final 2016 Humane Scorecard for the 114th Congress for the House and Senate. 

2015 Accomplishments for Animal Rights Legislation

Download the 2015 midterm Humane Scorecard for the House and Senate. By the end of 2015, 159 new animal protection laws were enacted at the state and local level.