Our legislative work in the us
FOUR PAWS advocates for animals on the local, state, and federal levels
While FOUR PAWS is known for our daring animal rescues all over the world, we also create positive and sustainable changes for animals through our legislative work worldwide. Through our vast network of coalitions and partnerships, FOUR PAWS USA works on public policies that affect animals and supports bills at the federal, state, and local levels that will help improve the lives of animals in America and beyond.
Learn more about bills we support in 2023/24
Federal Bills We Support
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Farm System Reform Act (S.271/H.R. 797)
This bill would put a moratorium on new factory farms, crack down on corporate meatpacking monopolies and hold these corporations responsible for harm caused by factory farms, restore mandatory country of origin labeling for meat, and help level the playing field for smaller, family-owned farms and ranchers.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on March 6, 2023
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Support for the Farm Systems Reform Act
Read our coalition letter
Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act (S.272/H.R. 805)
This bill will hold industrial agriculture operators accountable by requiring them to register high-risk large animal feeding operations, submit disaster preparedness plans, and pay to cover the costs of preparing for and responding to disaster events. It would also restrict the use of certain particularly inhumane methods of depopulation, create new protections for livestock and poultry workers, create new humane transport standards for livestock and poultry, and create new requirements and federal funding for more humane slaughter methods.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on March 6, 2023
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Support for the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act
Read our coalition letter
Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (S.557/H.R.1249)
This bill establishes basic financial accountability and transparency for the over $850 million dollars in government-mandated Checkoff fees collected from farmers and ranchers who produce milk, eggs, beef, pork, and many other commodities. This includes creating appropriate safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest, give producers clarity about how their money is spent, and reduce opportunity for abuse through regular audits.
Coalition Letter Signed by FOUR PAWS
Latest Action: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture on February 28, 2023
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Support for Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act
Read our coalition letter of support
Fight Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Animal Trafficking (FIGHT) Act (S. 1529/H.R. 2742)
This bill would expand protections for animals provided under the Animal Welfare Act, particularly by enhancing enforcement against dogfighting and cockfighting. It aims to ban simulcasting and gambling on animal fights in the U.S., and to halt the shipment of mature roosters through the U.S. mail.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on May 15, 2023
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Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (S. 2037/H.R. 3475)
This bill aims to permanently ban horse slaughter in the U.S. and to prohibit the exportation of horses for slaughter abroad.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on June 23, 2023
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Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act (Mink VIRUS Act) (H.R. 3783)
This bill aims to protect public health and human safety by prohibiting factory farming of mink for fur and provide compensation for mink farmers to help them transition to a new business.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on July 10, 2023
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Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement (CARE) for Animals Act (H.R. 5041)
This bill will strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by providing the Department of Justice (DoJ) with the same enforcement authority as the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the AWA. This enables the DoJ to seek stronger penalties for repeat offenders, including license revocations, civil penalties, and the use of seizure and forfeiture of animals experiencing harmful treatment.
Latest Action: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture on July 27, 2023.
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Photo of tigers Jill and Sahib before their rescue from a circus.
Several states are trying to pass bills that would ban traveling acts such as these.
City and State Bills We Support
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MASSACHUSETTS
An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows (S.2197/S.2189/H.3245)
This bill would prohibit the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows in MA.
Latest Action: This bill was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey in August 2024!
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An Act prohibiting the sale of fur products (S.590/H.849)
This bill would prohibit the sale of new fur products in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Latest Action: A hearing was held before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources at the State House in Boston on November 8, 2023
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RHODE ISLAND
Trade in Animal Fur Products Act (S. 2302)
This bill would prohibit the sale of new fur products in in Rhode Island.
Latest Action: Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee recommended measure be held for further study on March 13, 2024
Support for Trade in Animal Fur Products Act
Read our coalition letter of support.
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CONNECTICUT
Act concerning the use of certain animals in traveling animal acts (HB 5123)
This bill would prohibit the use of certain animals in circuses and traveling shows in CT.
Latest Action: A hearing was held before the Joint Committee on Environment on February 22, 2023. The Committee took no action on the bill and it is no longer active in 2024.
Support for CT Circus Bill
Read our coalition letter
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MARYLAND
Traveling Animals Act (SB 0547)
This bill prohibits the use of big cats, bears, primates, and elephants in traveling acts in MD.
Latest Action: The bill has passed the MD Legislature and is now waiting for Governor Moore's signature as of April 2024!
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NEW YORK STATE
The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A)
This bill would prohibit neurotoxic "neonic" pesticides, which is particularly harmful to birds, bees, and other pollinators.
Coalition Letter Signed by FOUR PAWS
Latest Action: This bill was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2023!
Support for the Birds and Bees Protection Act
Read our coalition letter of support
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NEW YORK CITY
Expansion of the Light's Out legislation passed in 2021, with current bills included in a package called Flaco's law.
The 2021 law requires all City-owned and leased buildings to turn off non-essential outdoor lights from 11 p.m.– 6 a.m. during peak avian migratory periods.
The 2024 bills would help further prevent thousands of bird deaths by: requiring privately owned commercial and industrial buildings to turn off non-essential lighting during the migration period; and require buildings with reflective and transparent surfaces to be equipped with decals so birds wouldn’t be confused by the reflections.
Latest Action: A Lights Out Coalition rally was held outside City Hall on April 11, 2024, calling on the council to pass the package of bills
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NEW JERSEY
An act to ban the confinement of mother pigs in gestation crates and calves in veal crates (A1970/S1298)
This bill would ban the use of gestation crates for mother pigs and veal crates for calves. These types of crates are commonly used in animal agriculture and result in extreme confinement of animals by impacting their ability to move freely, extend their limbs, or properly groom itself, among other limitations.
Latest Action: This bill was passed and signed into law on July 26, 2023!
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PENNSYLVANIA
Prohibition on Public Contact with Wildlife (H.1451)
This bill will re-establish previous regulations that promoted conservation, protected public safety, and promoted animal health by prohibiting public contact with wildlife and exotic wildlife, with limited exceptions.
Latest Action: This bill passed the PA House on November 13, 2023. The bill is now with the PA Senate
Support for Prohibition on Public Contact with Wildlife
Read our coalition letter
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OREGON
Prohibits person from using specified types of animals in traveling animal act (HB 3214)
This bill would protect animals from mistreatment and cruelty by banning animals such as elephants and big cats from traveling entertainment acts.
Latest Action: A public hearing was held on May 16, 2023 and the bill did not pass any further in 2023
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An act to ban the sale of fur products (HB 3390)
This bill would ban the sale of fur or trade of fur in the state of Oregon.
Latest Action: In committee upon adjournment as of June 25, 2023 and the bill did not pass any further in 2023
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Letters to Congress and Federal Agencies
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U.S. creation of a National Biodiversity Strategy
A petition that urges President Biden to adopt a national biodiversity strategy which would protect our ecosystems and the plants and animals, including humans, which need these life supporting systems to survive.
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Protecting the Endangered Species Act
For over 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has provided a lifeline for animals and plants threatened with extinction. Iconic species like the Bald eagle are still alive today thanks to protections granted under this federal legislation, which afforded these majestic birds habitat protection as well as other conservation measures needed to ensure the survival of the species for years to come.
At the same time, the ESA’s ability to not only protect threatened and endangered species but to also ensure their recovery has been undermined for decades by corporations and politicians. Repeated attacks on the ESA by Congress have resulted in a lack of government funding, limits on enforcement, and restructuring of regulations that place politics, industry development, and economics over science-backed decisions and solutions.
FOUR PAWS USA has joined with hundreds of other organizations in calling on the Biden Administration to restore vital protections under the ESA that were removed by the Trump Administration and is also urging the Biden Administration to take more government action against ongoing biodiversity loss and the extinction crisis by creating a national biodiversity strategy, among other recommendations.
FOUR PAWS USA has also joined with other organizations in asking members of Congress to oppose harmful amendments being added to federal spending bills that attack wildlife, endangered species, and at-risk habitats.
Read the joint public comments on the ESA
Read a detailed comment letter to the Biden Administration
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Support for the ESA
Read the coalition letter
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Executive Order request to ban beaver trapping and hunting on federally-managed public lands as an emergency climate change response
A letter urging President Biden to sign an executive order to ban beaver trapping and hunting on all public lands. Beavers are incredibly important to ecosystem health and biodiversity, and these animals can help combat climate change, thus they deserve special protection.
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Support for a ban on beaver trapping
Read the coalition letter
How you can get involved
- For Federal Bills, call or email your two Senators and House Representative and tell them you support the passage of these common sense bills for animals. Be sure to tell them the name of the bill and bill number you are calling about. Look up your elected officials.
- For State Bills, Call or email your state Senator and state House Representative to voice your support. Legislators are keen to hear from their constituents and want to know what topics matter most to voters. Attending a hearing for a bill is another great way to show your support. Look up your elected officials.
- For City Bills, call or email your local elected officials, and attend any local committee meetings where the bills are discussed. Look up your elected officials.
- Share your opinion on social media. This can help bring attention to a cause that is important to you and gain more supporters. When elected officials see an issue gaining traction online, they may be more likely to voice their support.
- Sign our petitions to raise your voice with millions of other animal supporters.
