By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Making this world better and brighter for animals involves vital collaboration with people in the halls of power making legislation and shaping policy. In the U.S., we work on bringing people together—regardless of party affiliation—to advance compassionate legislation that makes a real difference for animals.

To celebrate these relationships, once a year we host a reception in the U.S. Capitol. Our Humane Awards event honors these lawmakers and provides a space where everyone can share their connection to the animal welfare cause. Some share their personal convictions or their political assessment of our prospects for one or another bill under consideration. Others speak passionately about the pets in their own household, or their accountability to their spouses or their children to “do right by the animals” in their political lives. It’s an optimistic and joyful evening with sympathetic officials, congressional staff and our own lobbying team and key supporters.

Also in attendance, to everyone’s delight, was Georgia, a large fluffy dog who sported a Humane World for Animals bandana. Her guardian is Amanda Wyma-Bradley, who works on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

This year we recognized 141 representatives and 50 senators (165 Democrats, 25 Republicans and one Independent) from 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, not merely for their efforts to help animals but for their determination to work together across party lines to achieve tangible advances for animal protection.

Sometimes this means standing up for stronger regulations to protect animals at a time when other politicians are pushing an agenda for looser protections. Such pushback usually treats the lives and basic well-being of animals who are at our mercy as less important than ensuring that puppy millers, factory farmers, trophy hunting operators, fur farmers, horse sorers and others are free from extra “red tape.”

Our friends in Congress understand that animals deserve more consideration than that. We have great responsibilities to the animals who share our country, and these lawmakers have acknowledged that with actions.

Here are some things that they have done:

Supporting the Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement (CARE) for Animals Act

With 194 co-sponsors in the House and 37 in the Senate, the Better CARE for Animals Act would amend the Animal Welfare Act to enhance the enforcement capacities of the U.S. Department of Justice and reinforce multi-agency collaboration between the DOJ and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Support the Better CARE for Animals Act!

Making the case for funding to support animal protection goals

At a time when many legislators are preoccupied with cost-cutting or shrinking federal budgets, some legislators are advocating to hold the line on funding needed to protect animals. Our congressional allies have provided critical support for our appropriations agenda in the 119th Congress, with tremendous consequences for animal welfare and animal protection commitments within several agencies, including the USDA, Department of Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and Department of the Interior.

Taking a tough stand against a dangerous threat to animals

It can feel risky to take a stand for animals when there’s great pressure to conform to the demands of their political caucus or some constituency in their districts and states. This year, like last year and the year before that, the most striking example of this involved the continued belligerence of the National Pork Producers Council and its strident allies on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, pressing humane-minded legislators to support legislation designed to overturn California’s Proposition 12 and similar state laws concerning farm animal welfare.

We’re happy to report that many of the legislators with whom we work have a passion for protecting animals. At the same time, they’re attuned to the interests of their constituencies, and that makes the influence of engaged voters and citizens so important.

We encourage everyone who cares about animals and their protection to learn more about their elected officials, seek meetings with them or their staff, and keep them well-informed about the concerns and issues animals face. Keep on pressing for action that helps animals. Your voice is essential in creating the humane world at the center of our vision.

Kitty Block is CEO and president of Humane World for Animals.