The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Government Relations Department

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is our nation’s oldest humane organization and one of the largest nonprofit animal welfare organizations in the world. Founded in 1866, our mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide.

The Government Relations Department works to help enact meaningful protections for animals at the state and federal levels. We offer advocacy training and support for citizens who wish to engage in policy change; we lobby for bills that strengthen animal protection and prevent cruelty; we work to ensure that strong regulations are issued to implement new policies; and we work on ballot campaigns to advance protections when a legislative solution is unavailable.