The 2026 Arizona Humane Scorecard is now available online.

As this scorecard reveals, animals continue to face threats that we can stop at the ballot box by electing the right candidates to office.

Of the pro-animal bills that advanced this year in Arizona, HB 2995, now law, adds threat to injure or kill family pets to the state definition of coercive control, strengthening protections for survivors and their animals in domestic abuse situations.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

The movement to end the cruel puppy mill pipeline has reached a significant milestone now that Delaware has passed a law prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops.

The 2026 Virginia Humane Scorecard is now available online. On the heels of the 2025 election, which produced not only a new Governor but a significant chamber turnover, Virginia’s elected officials continue to show up for animals.

The scorecard highlights several pieces of pro-animal legislation that passed into law, including bills prohibiting premature separation of wild animals separated from their mothers in captivity, connecting veterinarians to shelters, and banning the devocalization of dogs.

The 2026 Maryland Humane Scorecard is now available online. As this scorecard reveals, Maryland continues to prove its mettle as a leader in animal protection policy.

Laws are often the reflection of the values of a society, and that’s why we support the passage of laws that protect animals from cruelty. In a nation like the U.S., state and local laws are frequently as important as federal laws, and they play a fundamental role in our efforts to secure the highest level of protection possible for animals at risk.