The ASPCA Government Relations Department

Our founder, Henry Bergh, believed that legislation was a key component in protecting animals and preventing cruelty. On April 10, 1866, a special act of the New York State Legislature awarded Bergh a charter to form a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals—the first such organization in the Western Hemisphere! Nine days later, Bergh secured passage of the first effective anti-cruelty law—and also the right to enforce it. The ASPCA became a model for other humane organizations throughout the Americas.

Since then, hundreds of laws have been enacted on the federal, state and local levels, providing protections to many species of animals. Today, the ASPCA’s Government Relations Department carries on Bergh’s mission to better protect animals and provide for their well-being by establishing public policy through the legislative process, citizen initiatives and consumer education campaigns.

 
We have worked with federal legislators to enact the following laws, among others:

• A law providing tenants of federally assisted housing the opportunity to have a companion animal.
• A law that made commercial airlines responsible for reporting incidents of pets being harmed while flying.
• A ban on the import from overseas of puppies younger than six months of age for the purpose of resale.
• The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which provides felony penalties for participating in the interstate commerce of materials related to animal fighting.

 
On the state level, the Government Relations team has been active in:

• Drafting and lobbying for legislation to regulate, license and limit the size of puppy mills.
• Strengthening cruelty laws and establishing the crime of aggravated cruelty for intentional acts.
• Amending laws to more appropriately recognize the best interests of animals, thereby changing their value from that of being mere property.
• Instituting creative spay/neuter programs to combat pet overpopulation.
• Defeating breed-specific legislation and helping pass good, breed-neutral dangerous dog laws.
• Promoting the humane treatment of animals in large-scale, “factory” farms.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the ASPCA cannot and does not endorse, support or oppose individual legislators or political parties.