Thursday, April 30, is National Animal Advocacy Day—a day to recognize a cause that’s very close to our hearts! We know that you, our wonderful ASPCA supporters, are fighting for stronger laws for animals all year long, but this is the perfect time for all of us to pause and ask ourselves how we can make our work together even more effective. Is your lobbying game on point? How do you know if your messages to legislators are getting through? We have some tips from insiders on being the best, strongest voice for animals you can be.

It’s all about becoming a known entity to your legislators. A staggering number of messages flow through legislative offices, and the way many offices handle and prioritize these communications is by sorting them by the perceived “value” of the sender. They want to see that you’re politically engaged: here’s what they’re looking for and how you can transform from a mere voice in the crowd to a valued constituent whose opinion is sought and respected!

1. Register to vote—and actually vote, especially in primary elections.
Legislators want to stay in office, which means they want to hear from their constituents—not people who live outside their districts—and they really want to hear from the people who actually determine whether they get to keep their jobs: voters. When you email your elected official, staff will often cross-reference your information with district voting records to see if you’re a voter, and active voters have more value to them than someone who asks for things but who has no record of having voted. We’re sorry to say it, but if you’re not a voter, your message probably won’t be given as much consideration.

2. Sign up to receive e-newsletters from your federal and state legislators.
Another way that legislators see if you’re engaged is by checking your email address against their internal lists. Almost all of them send out periodic email blasts, which you can sign up to receive from their official websites. Find your federal and state legislators here, then visit their sites and opt in for emails! These emails will also inform you of opportunities to meet your legislators, which brings us to…

3. Attend “town hall” (in-person) forums in your community.
Whether it’s a formal Q&A held at your local library or a more casual get-together at a coffee shop, municipal, state and federal lawmakers frequently host in-district events to take the pulse of their constituents. These events are the perfect chance to become a familiar face to your legislators and their staff and, of course, to bring up animal-protection issues. Public speaking is not easy for many people, but the more you do it, the easier it gets—and in this case, it’s often simply a conversation you’re having with someone who represents you.

4. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade and act on our Advocacy Alerts.
We’ll let you know when animal-friendly legislation is pending where you live, give you specific actions you can take and provide talking points to use with your elected officials. Taking action once enrolls you in the Advocacy Brigade. Get started right now: The Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, which would ban horse slaughter and the export of American horses for slaughter, was just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Our web alert lets you quickly and easily contact your members of Congress on the bill’s behalf. Help us make 2015 the year we eliminate this vile practice for good—email your legislators here.

We hope these tips have inspired you to get active in the policy-making process and become a stronger voice for the causes that matter to you. Please email [email protected] with any questions, and thank you for celebrating National Animal Advocacy Day with us!