Animals and Politics

Wildlife, Federal Legislation  /  Mar 22, 2023

Celebrating the lawmakers who made 2022 a banner year for big cats and other animals

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Last night at our Humane Awards event on Capitol Hill, we celebrated the work of lawmakers whose dedication to our cause made 2022 a banner congressional year for animals. In particular, we recognized the passage into law of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, and the lawmakers who led it. This was a seminal accomplishment in the history of animal protection, one that took more than a decade to achieve.

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Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation  /  Mar 20, 2023

Puppy Protection Act brings hope for dogs languishing in puppy mills

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Wildlife  /  Mar 14, 2023

Victory! Cruel hunting methods in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge were just defeated

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Animals in Research  /  Mar 10, 2023

A decade’s worth of wins against cosmetics animal testing

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Wildlife, In the News  /  Mar 07, 2023

What we found undercover at infamous trophy hunting convention

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Wildlife  /  Mar 03, 2023

For the first time, birds receive protection under the Animal Welfare Act

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Wildlife, Action Alerts, State Legislation  /  Feb 16, 2023

This state’s draft wolf plan spells disaster for wolves

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Idaho is pulling ahead in a race to the bottom for how states treat wolves. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game recently released a draft wolf management plan that will guide how the state manages the wolves who live there through 2028. The plan aims to reduce Idaho’s wolf population by 60%, primarily by promoting and incentivizing trophy hunting and trapping.

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Wildlife  /  Feb 15, 2023

We’re prepared to sue to get hippos the protections they need

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Update 3/20/23: After we and our partners sent notice of our intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency announced that the common hippopotamus may qualify for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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Farm Animals  /  Feb 14, 2023

Major U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected any day on animal welfare

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

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Wildlife  /  Feb 09, 2023

This is no time to strip endangered species protections from grizzly bears

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

After teetering on the brink of extinction, the grizzly bear population in the United States finally began to recover, thanks to the Endangered Species Act. Currently, grizzly bears are classified as “threatened” with extinction. But now that could change for some of them.

This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that certain populations of grizzly bears warrant a status review. This means that the federal government will consider removing Endangered Species Act protections from these grizzly bears.

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Animals in Research, Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Federal Legislation  /  Feb 08, 2023

2022 in review: How did your Members of Congress score on animal protection issues?

Today, I’m pleased to share our Humane Scorecard for the second session of the 117th Congress, a strong reflection of the success of our animal protection agenda in 2022. The scorecard tracks key co-sponsorships, votes and other animal-friendly actions by federal lawmakers. It’s more than just an accountability tool, however. It creates greater awareness and incentives for further commitment, and we’re heartened that so many legislators work hard to achieve a high score.

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Equines, Wildlife, Action Alerts, Federal Legislation, In the News  /  Feb 06, 2023

As Biden delivers State of the Union address, we’re urging 6 priorities for animals

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech marks a midway point in his term, and for us, an opportunity to assess the administration’s animal protection priorities. 

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