Press Release

September 2, 2014

The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing Denham's strong leadership and support of animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in California’s 10th Congressional District to re-elect him in November’s general election.

“Jeff Denham is an effective lawmaker and is leading the charge on some of the most important animal protection issues in Washington,” said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the HSLF. “Voters in the 10th District who care about the humane treatment of animals should return Representative Denham to the House to continue his efforts to fight cruelty and abuse.”

In the current 113th Congress, Rep. Denham:

• Is the lead sponsor of the Pets on Trains Act (H.R. 2066) to require Amtrak to establish a pet policy allowing companion animals to travel with their owners on certain passenger trains.
• Led the effort in the House Agriculture Committee to defeat the dangerous and overreaching “King amendment,” which threatened to nullify hundreds of state and local laws on food safety, animal welfare and agriculture, and was nixed from the 2014 Farm Bill.
• Is a lead sponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments (H.R. 1731), representing an agreement between animal welfare groups and the egg industry to improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens and provide stability for egg farmers and consumers.
• Co-sponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1518) to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs to induce a high-stepping gait.
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act (H.R. 366), which was included in the 2014 Farm Bill, making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight.

Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, (202) 676-2347, mmontorfano@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

Puppies, and the people who love them, scored a win today when the USDA finalized a rule prohibiting the importation of dogs younger than six months old from foreign puppy mills into the United States for resale. The rule also stipulates that dogs who enter the U.S. must be in good health. 

Every year thousands of weeks-old dogs are crammed into dirty, crowded plastic tubs and shipped on transcontinental flights to the U.S. Exposed to extreme temperatures and with little access to food or water, most of the dogs become ill en route. Many die. All could present a public health risk because barely weaned dogs aren’t old enough to have received their full set of vaccinations. 

Far too often, this story has an unhappy ending. Hopeful pet parents arrive at the airport to take home their newest addition to the family and are met with a sick puppy and the promise of thousands of dollars in veterinary bills. Or worse, eventual heartbreak when their new pet succumbs to her illness and dies. 

But it’s a story that changes today. And for animal advocates and humane legislators, the final rule is a victory decades in the making. We began the process in 2008, when Congress passed the Farm Bill with an HSLF-backed provision to end the importation of puppies bred in foreign puppy mills into the United States for resale. It took USDA six years to finalize the rule to implement the ban. But today we finally have a firm outcome on the issue. And with the advent of global commerce—and what we’ve seen in the form of trade with exotic animals, ivory and rhino horn, and factory farming—this ban comes just in time to prevent a massive influx of puppy mill dogs from China, eastern Europe, and Mexico.

It’s the second important move the USDA has made to protect puppies in the last 12 months. Last September the agency brought Internet puppy sellers under the federal Animal Welfare Act regulations, requiring licensing, inspection, and basic standards of care for the first time. That rule went into effect last November and will bring oversight to thousands of commercial breeders. 

We applaud the USDA and salute the members of Congress who stood up for dogs and consumers and urged the USDA to take action, including Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and David Vitter (R-LA) and Reps. Sam Farr (D-CA), Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Dina Titus (D-NV).  As we work to eliminate puppy mill cruelty across the United States, it’s a relief to know that sick puppies from foreign puppy mills will no longer be contributing to the problem. 

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

(July 31, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Hawaii state Sen. Clayton Hee, D-23, for election as Lieutenant Governor. Citing his support of animal protection policies as the chair of the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee, the HSLF urges voters in Hawaii to support Hee in the August 9 primary election.

“During his time in the state legislature, Senator Hee has been a strong advocate for animal welfare,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF.  “He believes in the values of kindness and compassion, and we urge voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to make Clayton Hee Hawaii’s next Lieutenant Governor.”

An effective and consistent leader on a wide variety of animal protection issues, Sen. Hee has sponsored or cosponsored legislation:

• prohibiting barbaric steel-jawed leghold traps and limits the use of snares and other body-crushing traps in residential areas; (SB 6)
• preventing a person convicted of felony animal cruelty from owning or possessing an animal for a minimum of five years; (SB 9)
• upgrading misdemeanor cruelty offenses involving 10 or more animals to a felony; (SB 978)
• allowing pet owners and landlords to negotiate a deposit to allow pets to reside in the premises; (SB 328)
• enhancing penalties for the intentional abuse of a law enforcement dog or horse; (SB 635)
• strengthening the anti-dogfighting statute to one of the strongest in the nation, with a felony for spectators attending dogfights; (SB 1069)
• making Hawaii the first state to prohibit the sale or possession of shark fins or fin soup; (SB 2169)
• extending protections to pets and farm animals who are often the victims in domestic violence cases involving abuse and threats of physical harm or death; (SB 2486)
• adding equines to the list of animals protected under the felony cruelty law; (SB 2895)
• making Hawaii the 43rd state to enact a felony cruelty provision for egregious acts of cruelty. (SB 1165)

Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, (202) 676-2347, mmontorfano@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

(July 23, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation's leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing his strong support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges voters in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District to support Rep. LoBiondo in November's general election.

"Congressman LoBiondo has been a strong supporter of laws to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, and he is standing up for the values of kindness and compassion to all creatures," said Sara Amundson, executive director of HSLF. "A vote to return Frank LoBiondo to Congress is a vote for the humane treatment of all animals."

The HSLF publishes an annual Humane Scorecard of Congress to give voters a snapshot of every federal legislator's record on animal protection issues; three times Rep. LoBiondo achieved a perfect score of 100 for votes in favor of animal welfare measures before the U.S. House.

Among his other efforts, in the 113th Congress, Rep. LoBiondo:

• Was an original sponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 1518, to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs to induce a high-stepping gait;
• Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, H.R. 1731, to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens;
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 366, which was included in the 2014 Farm Bill, making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight;
• Co-sponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports Act, H.R. 1094, to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported efforts to provide adequate funding for the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and federal animal fighting law, as well as for programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural and inner-city areas and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through student loan forgiveness.

Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, (202) 676-2347, mmontorfano@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

(May 29, 2014) — The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Thad Cochran for reelection to the U.S. Senate. Citing his leadership and support of mainstream animal welfare policies, HSLF urges Mississippi voters to support Cochran in the June 3 primary election.

“In his leadership positions on the key committees, Senator Cochran has helped to strengthen the nation’s animal welfare laws and make sure they are properly enforced,” said HSLF President Michael Markarian. “We urge Mississippi voters to elect Cochran to a seventh term.”

• As the Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Cochran helped to pass legislation in the 2014 Farm Bill strengthening the federal animal fighting law, making it a crime to attend or bring a child to an animal fight. He also voted in favor of a similar amendment on the Senate floor in 2012.
• When he was the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Cochran supported funding for the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the federal animal fighting law, as well as programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural areas and in the USDA through student loan repayment.
• Cochran also helped to include committee report language in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill directing USDA to study Controlled Atmosphere Stunning, in which a mixture of gasses can be used to render poultry unconscious before slaughter. This technology is considered more humane than the method that requires workers to shackle conscious birds by a leg and hang them upside down to be dunked in electrified water.

Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, 202-276-2347, mmontorfano@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

WASHINGTON (May 20, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of former Virginia Lt. Gov. and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Don Beyer, for the open House seat in Virginia’s 8th  Congressional District. Citing his strong support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges 8th District voters to support Don Beyer in the Democratic primary.

 “Don Beyer understands that one element of a civil society is the humane treatment of all animals, and he would work in Congress to protect these creatures from cruelty and abuse,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “The 8th District needs a representative who will build on Jim Moran’s outstanding body of work on animal welfare, and Don Beyer has pledged to take on issues such as puppy mills, wildlife protection and cosmetic testing on animals. Voters who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Don Beyer for Congress.”

 Virginia’s 8th Congressional District has been represented for 24 years by retiring Rep. Jim Moran. Moran has always been one of the leading advocates for animal protection in Congress, and serves as the co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus.

 Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, 202-276-2347, mmontorfano@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

(April 25, 2014)--In response to WAVE News’ undercover investigation of Matt Bevin’s comments at a pro-cockfighting rally, Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, released the following statement:

“Cockfighting is a crime in all 50 states, although in Kentucky and a few other states with weak misdemeanor penalties, the cockfighters hope law enforcement will look the other way when a crime is in progress. The only people who want to legalize this blood sport are those who strap razor-sharp knives to the legs of birds and force them to slash each other to death, just for the entertainment of spectators who place gambling bets and are titillated by the bloodletting and violence. Matt Bevin showed appalling judgment in associating himself with this band of lawbreakers and perpetrators of unspeakable animal cruelty. Serious-minded candidates and public-office holders should stand against all forms of animal cruelty, whether cockfighting, dogfighting or horse soring.”

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (240) 477-2251, hsullivan@hslf.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

WASHINGTON (April 1, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation's leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of California State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., for the open House seat in California's 11^th Congressional District. Citing his strong support of animal protection policies, HSLF urges California voters to support Mark DeSaulnier.

"Mark DeSaulnier has been a leading advocate for all animals during his tenure in the California legislature," says Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “We urge voters in the 11th District to support him."

In 2013, DeSaulnier supported legislation to:

• Restrict certain trapping methods and promote non-lethal options for mountain lion removal (AB 789, AB 1213, and SB 132). These bills were signed into law.
• Require that hunters use non-lead ammunition, to prevent the toxic poisoning of more than 130 species of wildlife (AB 711). This bill was signed into law.
• Promote the development of dog parks (AB 265). This bill was signed into law.
• Protect pets, including restrictions on the sale of live animals at swap meets and flea markets (AB 339).

In 2012, DeSaulnier supported legislation to:

• Reform of state fish and wildlife management processes (AB 2402). This bill was signed into law.
• Increase the ability to prosecute and penalize for wildlife crimes (AB 2179).
• Improve the Fish and Game Commission appointments and business practices (AB 2609). This bill was signed into law.
• Protect pets and wildlife from dangers associated with trapping methods (SB 1480).
• Prohibit landlords from requiring that cats be declawed or dogs be devocalized as a condition of tenancy (SB 1229). This bill was signed into law.
• Increase penalties for animal fighting (SB 1145). This bill was signed into law.
• Ban the cruel and unsporting practice of hounding bears and bobcats (SB 1221). This bill was signed into law.

In 2011, DeSaulnier supported legislation to:

• Increase fines and add cockfighting to the profiteering statue (SB 425). This bill was signed into law.
• Define repeat animal fighting as a nuisance and allow the eviction of tenants convicted of these activities (SB 426). This bill was signed into law.
• Require released shelter animals to be microchipped (SB 702). This bill was vetoed by the governor.
• Ban sales of animals in parking lots and along roadsides, and increase animal neglect penalties (SB 917). This bill was signed into law.
• Create a uniform mechanism for rabies vaccination exemptions for a dog based on a veterinarian advice (SB 258). This bill was signed into law.
• Ban on the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins (AB 376). This bill was signed into law.
• Reauthorize income tax check-off for the Municipal Shelter Spay-Neuter Fund (AB 564). This bill was signed into law.
• Amend the Penal Code to prohibit criminals convicted of animal cruelty from owning animals for a specified period of time after their conviction (AB 1117). This bill was vetoed by the governor.
• Authorize puppy provision licensing, to address barriers and improve funding for animal care/control activities (AB 1121). This bill was signed into law.

In 2010, DeSaulnier supported legislation to:

• Require that shell eggs sold in the state come from hens that have enough space to turn around and stretch their wings (AB 1437). This bill was signed into law.
• Require any garment including any animal fur to be labeled with the species and country of origin (AB 1656).
• Increase penalties for those convicted of felony animal neglect (AB 2012).
• Require clearer price and coverage disclosures by insurers (AB 2411).
• Protect tenants from being forced by landlords into unnecessary surgery on their pets (AB 2743).
• Support federal legislation to protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption (SJR 22). This resolution was passed.

DeSaulnier also opposed a bill that would have allowed the import and sale of any part or product of kangaroos by extending the sunset provision in the existing law (SB 1345).

California's 11th Congressional District has been represented for 40 years by retiring Rep. George Miller, who has always been one of the leading advocates for animal protection in Congress.

Media contact: Stephanie Twining, 240-751-3943, stwining@hslf.org  

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 2100 L Street NW, Suite 310, Washington, D.C., 20037.

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

WASHINGTON (March 26, 2014) – The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., for election in the 33^rd Congressional District of California. Citing his strong support of animal protection policies, HSLF urges 33^rd District voters to support Ted Lieu.

“Ted Lieu has shown strong and consistent leadership in the California State Senate for animal protection issues, in particular authoring a bill that successfully banned the cruel practice of hounding,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of HSLF. “We urge California voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to support Ted Lieu.”

In 2013, Ted Lieu supported legislation to:

• Restrict certain trapping methods and promote non-lethal options for mountain lion removal (AB 789, AB 1213, and SB 132). These bills were signed into law.
• Require that hunters use non-lead ammunition, to prevent the toxic poisoning of more than 130 species of wildlife (AB 711). This bill was signed into law.
• Promote the development of dog parks (AB 265). This bill was signed into law.
• Protect pets, including restrictions on the sale of live animals at swap meets and flea markets (AB 339).

Lieu also signed a letter opposing the radical and overreaching King Amendment in the federal Farm Bill and a letter supporting restrictions on the sale of rodenticides.

In 2012, Ted Lieu authored a bill to ban the cruel practice of hounding bears and bobcats (SB 1221). This bill was signed into law.

He also supported legislation to:

• Reform of state fish and wildlife management processes (AB 2402). This bill was signed into law.
• Improve the Fish and Game Commission appointments and business practices (AB 2609). This bill was signed into law.
• Protect pets and wildlife from dangers associated with trapping methods (SB 1480).
• Prohibit landlords from requiring that cats be declawed or dogs be devocalized as a condition of tenancy (SB 1229). This bill was signed into law.
• Increase penalties for animal fighting (SB 1145). This bill was signed into law.

In 2011, Lieu supported legislation to:

• Increase fines and add cockfighting to the profiteering statue (SB 425). This bill was signed into law.
• Define repeat animal fighting as a nuisance and allow the eviction of tenants convicted of these activities (SB 426). This bill was signed into law.
• Require released shelter animals to be microchipped (SB 702). This bill was vetoed by the governor.
• Ban sales of animals in parking lots and along roadsides, and increase animal neglect penalties (SB 917). This bill was signed into law.
• Create a uniform mechanism for rabies vaccination exemptions for a dog based on a veterinarian advice (SB 258). This bill was signed into law.
• Reauthorize income tax check-off for the Municipal Shelter Spay-Neuter Fund (AB 564). This bill was signed into law.
• Amend the Penal Code to prohibit criminals convicted of animal cruelty from owning animals for a specified period of time after their conviction (AB 1117). This bill was vetoed by the governor.
• Authorize puppy provision licensing, to address barriers and improve funding for animal care/control activities (AB 1121). This bill was signed into law.

In 2010, Lieu:

• Co-authored a bill to require that shell eggs sold in the state come from hens that have enough space to turn around and stretch their wings (AB 1437). This bill was signed into law.
• Co-authored a bill that required any garment including any animal fur to be labeled with the species and country of origin (AB 1656).
• Authored a bill that increased penalties for those convicted of felony animal neglect (AB 2012).
• Supported a bill that required clearer price and coverage disclosures by insurers (AB 2411).
• Supported a bill that Protects tenants from being forced by landlords into unnecessary surgery on their pets (AB 2743)
• Opposed a bill that would have allowed the import and sale of any part or product of kangaroos by extending the sunset provision in the existing law (SB 1345).
• Supported federal legislation to protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption (SJR 22). This resolution was passed.

California’s 33rd Congressional District has been represented for 40 years by retiring Rep. Henry Waxman, who has always been one of the leading advocates for animal protection in Congress.

Media contact: Stephanie Twining, 240-751-3943, stwining@hslf.org  

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

WASHINGTON (March 19, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Peters has consistently led efforts to strengthen the nation’s laws on animal cruelty and abuse. Citing his effective leadership and strong support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges Michigan voters to support Gary Peters.

“Gary Peters has been a determined and effective leader in protecting animals from cruelty and abuse, from his time in the Michigan legislature to the U.S. Congress,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He has stood up for the values of kindness and compassion, and we urge Michigan voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to support Gary Peters for Senate.”

Peters has been a champion for animal protection in Congress, and has helped to advance new policies to stop animal cruelty and abuse. Among his efforts, Peters has:

• Worked to defeat the dangerous and overreaching “King amendment,” which threatened to nullify state and local laws on animal welfare and agriculture and was nixed from the 2014 Farm Bill
• Sponsored and successfully passed legislation to ban commerce in videos showing the intentional torture of puppies, kittens and other live animals for the sexual titillation of viewers (P.L. 111-294)
• Led the fight to end the use of live monkeys in chemical warfare training by the U.S. Army by replacing those animals with non-animal alternatives
• Sponsored an amendment to protect threatened polar bears in the Arctic and prevent the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada (H.AMDT.1008/H.R. 4089)
• Sponsored an amendment to save millions of taxpayer dollars by reducing the use of toxic poisons and other inhumane methods of killing predators as a subsidy for private livestock ranchers (H.AMDT.471/H.R. 2112)
• Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, H.R. 1731, to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens
• Co-sponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, H.R. 1094, to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas
• Co-sponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 1518, to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs to induce a high-stepping gait
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 366, which was included in the 2014 Farm Bill, making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, H.R. 847, to protect dogs and consumers by cracking down on large-scale puppy mill abuses

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.