The state of Washington’s 2025 legislative session, which adjourned in late April, ushered in groundbreaking victories for both companion animals and wildlife. The legislature adopted powerful upgrades to laws addressing animal abuse. But to fully understand the overall progress made for animals, we took a close look at the actions taken by each state lawmaker. Today, we ask our supporters to do the same.
The 2025 Washington Humane Scorecard is now available online—the first issue of a Humane World Action Fund scorecard for the state. This year’s scores reflect strong overall support for animal protection initiatives, with 30 out of 49 senators and 59 out of 98 representatives receiving perfect scores of 100%.
HB 1149 elicited notable bipartisan support, with just two opposing votes from senators and ten from representatives. Together, lawmakers overwhelmingly decided to expand definitions for animal fighting and animal cruelty in the state, increase penalties, and impose lifetime ownership bans in respect to certain offenses. The new law also enhances enforcement tools, clarifies protocols for seizure and care of animals, and permits law enforcement officers to move quickly to address cases of animal cruelty.
Before the passage of SB 5065, several Washington communities had already enacted local bans on the use of wild animals in traveling acts. In 2025, years of advocacy led to a strong statewide victory. Washington is now the 12th state to ban the exploitation of iconic wild species like elephants, bears, nonhuman primates, and big cats in circuses, exhibits, and other traveling shows built on cruelty and neglect.
Additional, lifesaving bills that passed into law this year included HB 1201, to grant companion animals shelter in emergencies, and HB 1046, to allow for the rescue of vulnerable animals from locked vehicles.
We urge you to review the scorecard to learn which legislators voted to advance these key protections, and which chose not to do so. By holding lawmakers accountable for their actions, we can ensure that animal welfare is not overlooked by those who develop the state’s legislation and public policy work concerning animals. By raising our voices, we can speak for the voiceless and give them the best representation possible in Olympia.
Using the Scorecard
The 2025 Washington Humane Scorecard includes bills that were considered by the Washington State Legislature. Here is a list of each bill, and guidance on how to read the scorecard.
- Traveling Acts (SB 5065): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of SB 5065, "Prohibiting the use of certain animals in traveling animal acts." This act ends the cruelty of chaining, confinement and coercion by banning performances where elephants, bears, nonhuman primates, non-domestic big cats and their hybrids are transported to entertain live audiences. Washington has become the 12th state in the nation to usher in a modern, humane future for the traveling entertainment industry. Sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D).
- Preventing Cruelty (HB 1149): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of HB 1149, "Preventing cruelty to animals." This act strengthens the state’s animal protection laws by expanding definitions of animal cruelty and fighting, increasing penalties, and imposing lifetime ownership bans on certain offenders. It enhances enforcement tools for law enforcement and animal control, clarifies procedures for seizing and caring for animals, and reduces the time officers must wait to intervene in cases of neglect. With clearer standards for animal care and tougher consequences for abuse, HB 1149 aims to modernize Washington’s approach to preventing animal cruelty, providing model updates for other states to follow. Sponsored by Rep. David Hackney (D).
- Hot Cars (HB 1046): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of HB 1046, "Protecting the vulnerable by providing immunity from civil liability for damage to a motor vehicle arising from the rescue of vulnerable persons or domestic animals." If a good Samaritan breaks into a locked vehicle to rescue a person or a pet in danger, this act works to allow and to support quick, life-saving action without fear of legal consequences. Sponsored by Rep. Mari Leavitt (D).
- Shelter in Emergencies (HB 1201): A ✓ indicates a vote in favor of HB 1201, "Identifying accommodations allowing pets in an emergency or extreme weather event." This act ensures that emergency shelters are equipped to welcome companion animals during disasters, helping pets and their owners remain together when evacuating. The law requires local governments to include cosheltering provisions in emergency plans, identify at least one pet-friendly shelter, and share clear information online about pet accommodations and evacuation resources. HB 1201 recognizes the need to protect both people and animals, the emotional bonds between them, and the importance that localities take precautions in advance of emergencies and extreme weather events. Sponsored by Rep. Mari Leavitt (D).
About our methodology
Humane World Action Fund acknowledges the limitations of judging legislators based on a few votes on animal issues, however important those issues may be. In some cases, legislators must miss votes for unavoidable reasons, such as a death in the family, serious illness, birth of a child or emergency in their district. Additionally, some bills may have good intentions but include problematic language or have unintended legal consequences.
There are many potential reasons a legislator votes a certain way—even more reason to engage with your elected officials directly and ask them their positions on various issues. In assessing the record of your representatives, and your strategy for engaging them in the future, do consider unrecorded matters such as committee participation and performance, House or Senate leadership posts, constituent engagement and responsiveness, and other animal protection bills not included in this scorecard.
The full 2025 Washington Humane Scorecard can be found online at humaneaction.org/state-scorecards.
Next year in Washington State, the entire State House and approximately half of the State Senate will be up for election. As candidates campaign for your vote, use this powerful opportunity to ask how, if elected, they will support animal protection. We urge you to share the 2025 Washington Humane Scorecard with other voters, and to refer to your lawmakers’ scores in your advocacy, as well as inside the voting booth. Only by electing humane candidates to office can we give animals the voice they need, and the coalition of supporters necessary to grant them a more humane tomorrow.
