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Animal Legislation

Be informed of the ongoing battle against animal cruelty.

Stay up-to-date on animal welfare legislation and help pass legislation that benefits animals.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Paws Humane Society may not endorse political candidates. However we may advocate for or against legislation that impacts the work we do on behalf of companion animals.

We have great working relationships with our representatives at both the local and state level and we encourage all animal advocates to maintain positive communications. Our passion for animals cannot be allowed to harm these relationships if we want to get things done.

We understand that our state legislators look at hundreds of bills each year and can’t be subject matter experts on everything that comes across their desks. Part of the legislative process is to evaluate constituent input and that is where we come in. If we are respectful in our communications they will be more inclined to listen to what we have to say.

With the help of the Best Friends Animal Society, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals we stay abreast of active legislation and we get involved as needed. We will keep this page updated and will alert our followers on Facebook of anything needing urgent attention.

During the 2018 Legislative Session we actively followed SB 418/HB 498, also referred to as the “Puppy Mill Bills.” These bills were identical and, if enacted, would have eliminated the authority of local government to restrict the sale of products overseen by the USDA, FDA or the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The driving force behind these bills was the pet products lobby which has been working on behalf of Pet Land stores to protect their business model which has been challenged in more than 250 cities across the U.S.

PAWS Humane Society supports responsible breeders who sell their puppies to individuals and maintain contractual responsibility for each puppy throughout his lifetime. We oppose puppy mills which are defined by the HSUS as a “commercial dog-breeding facility in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.”