Humane Society Honors Congressman Farr

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Humane Society on Wednesday presented Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel) with an award for his leadership on animal protection legislation in 2009.

“Even as Congress and the president work to address our economic woes, we must find time to support those issues that define us as a society,” Rep. Farr said. “We can’t overlook the widespread abuse that occurs in puppy mills across the country, and we can’t ignore the declining number of sea otters off our coast. These are important issues too, and I’m proud to support them.”

Rep. Farr received a Legislative Leader award for introducing legislation to fund research and recovery programs for the Southern sea otter and his work to close a loophole that allows large-scale puppy mills to bypass laws that assure basic welfare standards.

“We commend Representative Farr for taking the lead in seeking to strengthen federal animal welfare policies,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society. “We’re lucky to have his powerful voice on behalf of the animals and the many citizens who care about their protection.”

Every year, the Humane Society Legislative Fund compiles a federal Humane Scorecard to provide a snapshot of animal protection issues considered by the U.S. Congress and give animal advocates a tool to assess the performance of their Senators and Representatives. The scorecard tracks key votes as well as co-sponsorship of important pro-animal bills and signing an annual letter seeking funds needed to enforce key animal welfare laws.

“We’re grateful to the many Members of Congress who are helping to forge a path to a more humane future through their demonstrated leadership on animal protection legislation,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “Our animal welfare laws are a reflection of our basic values and attitudes shared by people across the country.”