By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

The fight for public policy gains for animals at the federal level is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of spirit. Every day, in every congressional session, it’s an all-out battle to secure humane laws and regulations. Whatever we achieve, we achieve against determined opposition, including special interest groups with deep pockets, and 2023 was no exception. This was a banner year for rulemaking and key legislative work that made a difference.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

It is the height of absurdity that, in 2023, animals continue to be born to be killed and skinned for a coat trim or a pom-pom on a hat. But we are heartened that with each year we see monumental progress toward our vision: a world in which not a single animal is killed just for fashion.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

May 11, 2023, stands out as historic for animal protection: On that day, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision upholding California’s Proposition 12, the nation’s strongest farm animal protection law, a move that rejected the pork industry’s challenge to the law.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Wild animals face a chilling multitude of threats. At a time when so many are vulnerable to the unprecedented impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and ongoing human encroachment on shrinking habitats, imperiled animals continue to be killed for nothing more than a trophy, a prize, a pelt or a trinket. Others suffer at the hands of traffickers and breeders who want to lock them in cages for entertainment.

Each year, we use the Humane Scorecard to provide a snapshot of some key animal protection issues and this year is no different. There are many new members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in the 118th Congress who need to see the importance of animals in our communities—and there’s still time.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Just a few weeks short of the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act’s passage, opponents in the U.S. Congress have pushed through a series of hostile amendments to undermine the landmark law during the House appropriations funding process. That’s the grim reality of the contemporary political landscape for the Endangered Species Act, which was one of the most popular and bipartisan laws passed in American history.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

This week, we had the pleasure of gathering with beagles and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to show our support for a promising new bill that would usher in a new era of animal protection at the federal level in the U.S.