Every year, our public policy work for animals produces strong results and tangible benefits for animals, through the passage of laws or the approval of federal agency rules that lead to desired reforms. Still, there is something that really jumps out about 2022, and makes it a year we’ll long remember. We closed out the case on two of the most disturbing animal cruelty issues of the 21st century, the exploitation of big cats for photo ops and as “pets,” and the hacking off of sharks’ fins for use in soup.

More than 200 veterinarians express support for legislation to permanently end the slaughter of American horses

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

On the House floor Monday night, the House of Representatives voted 304 to 111 to pass the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act into law. With just a few weeks remaining in the 117th Congress, getting a vote in the Senate will take some effort. But with this resounding vote in the House, we’ve witnessed—and helped to deliver—the clearest possible message that Americans are sick of horse soring and want to see it abolished. Now it’s time to get the job all the way done.

Humane groups celebrate pivotal move in Congress to end cruelty of horse soring

By a 46-9 vote today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 5441), setting the stage for congressional leaders to bring it to the House floor quickly for a vote. The bill, which currently has 261 sponsors and strong support from both parties, would amend the federal Horse Protection Act to eliminate industry-self policing, ban soring devices and strengthen penalties for soring, a furtive practice in which dishonest trainers use painful techniques to induce an artificially high-stepping gait in show horses to win prizes.

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund win case in DC Circuit Court of Appeals to protect horses

Today’s approval by the U.S. House of Representatives of a FY23 budget package, H.R. 8294, produced sweeping animal protection gains across a range of concerns. Countless animals will benefit from the additional protections and funds that the package directs. Getting those provisions into this draft federal budget and keeping them there is an absolute priority for us, and we could not be more excited at the results so far. That is why this cluster of six appropriations bills is such an important focus of our animal protection agenda in Congress.

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