Our final 2024 Humane Scorecard is available, with a look at where federal legislators stood on our core priorities for the second session of the 118th Congress. The scorecard tracks animal-friendly actions by lawmakers while creating greater awareness and increasing legislators’ support for our priorities.
We have a new name—Humane World Action Fund—and an ambitious agenda, grounded in the mission we’ve pursued for several decades: to deliver positive and permanent policy outcomes for animals. We are as committed as ever to bringing laws into greater alignment with humane values—the values of kindness, compassion and fairness to all creatures. These are values we share with tens of millions of people not simply within the United States but throughout the world.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
We are at a tipping point in the fight to end the brutal practice of horse soring, a form of torment to force Tennessee walking horses and related breeds to exhibit the high-stepping gait known as the “Big Lick.”
The Humane Society of the United States renews push to protect Tennessee walking horses from soring cruelty
WASHINGTON (Oct. 15, 2024)—For over a decade, the Humane Society of the United States has pushed for stronger enforcement of the Horse Protection Act, urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to close gaps in its oversight that have perpetuated horse soring, an illegal and abusive practice that forces Tennessee walking horses and related breeds to perform the exaggerated "Big Lick" gait. In April 2024, the USDA finalized a long-awaited rule to eliminate the failed system of industry self-policing and the use of devices integral to soring.
Our annual legislative scorecard is a trusted source for evaluating the animal protection commitments of elected officials at the federal level. This preview version of our 2024 Humane Scorecard allows you to determine where your federal legislators stand now on key animal protection priorities. It also gives you a chance to encourage them to strengthen their support―and their ratings―before the 118th Congress wraps up and we publish the final version in January 2025.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
We condemn in the strongest terms a disturbing act of cruelty caught on video by a wild horse advocacy organization at a Bureau of Land Management wild horse gather in Pershing County, Nevada.
Joint statement from the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund concerning alleged BLM wild horse abuse
WASHINGTON (July 31, 2024)—The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund are deeply disturbed by video footage that appears to show a Bureau of Land Management contractor kicking a wild horse in the face during a roundup operation on the Blue Wing Complex in Nevada. This willful act of cruelty is unacceptable, and we call upon the BLM to suspend its contract with this party immediately pending a thorough investigation.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
This past weekend we held our Taking Action for Animals conference just outside of Washington, D.C., with over 450 advocates who came from all over the country to attend. At a time that may feel divisive and politically uncertain, this event was a testament to the dedication and steadfast unity that the cause of animal protection rallies.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
