With the help of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and volunteers, a number of legislations have been passed and are currently being reviewed in the goals of helping abused animals.
In New York, areas of focus during 2020 include the legislation to prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits by pet shops. This is critical because people are unknowingly buying pets that, many times, are not healthy. Some kind owners will support the resulting medical bills needed. However, others may decide to dump their pets. Such pets come from puppy mills with the puppy mill mothers are not well taken care of, living in small wire cages without sufficient water and food. Their puppies are sick due to poor sanitation. There is a lack of veterinary care.
In the area of wildlife, NY is looking into banking wildlife killing contests where the game is to slaughter coyotes, foxes, bobcats and other animals , all for a prize. giraffes are also at jeopardy due to trafficking and trade of their body parts for boots, knife handles, furniture, bible covers and more. Over the last 40 years, the giraffe’s population dropped 40%, with not even 100,000 giraffes remaining the the wild.
HSUS, with their volunteers, have been at the forefront in recent years promoting many initiatives to strengthen animal fighting laws and improve standards of care, banning sale of illegal ivory products, rhino horns, wild boar, and shark fins. HSUS succeeded in stopping elephant circus acts in NYS and wild animal circus acts in NYC. Legislation has provided $5M in state funding for local animal shelters. Legalization of snare traps for wildlife has been defeated. NYC passed a moratorium on the horse slaughter market. Spaying and neutering and micro-chipping of all dogs and cats are required prior to sale in NYC. Anti-tethering laws were passed in Syracuse, Utica and Buffalo. Pet leasing agreements have been prohibited. Heated cage/box dryers in grooming shops have been banned.
HSUS Animal Rescue Teams supported NY during Hurricane Sandy.
Training law enforcement and promoting humane education in schools has been provided.
Federal legislation that have been passed or are currently being reviewed include:
- Captive Primate Safety Act: H.R. 1776
- Kitten Act of 2019: H.R. 1622
- Big Cat Public Safety Act: H.R. 1380, 1818, 3546, 1998
- Prepared Act: H.R.1042
- Woof! Act: H.R. 1002, 4691
- Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2019: H.R. 693
- Humane Cosmetics Act: H.R. 2790, 2858
- Past Act: H.R. 1847, 3268, 1518
- Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2017: H.R. 1406
- Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2015: H.R. 2849
- Captive Primate Safety Act: H.R. 2856
- Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act: H.R. 847