Protecting Animals

Sherman's unwavering support for animal rights in Congress has consistently earned a 100% rating from the ASPCA and the Humane Society (now renamed the Humane World for Animals), and last year received the Humane Champion Award for the 12th year in a row. Sherman is also a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus.

Below are some of Congressman Sherman's recent efforts in Congress to ensure the welfare and humane treatment of animals.

Ending Animal Cruelty

In a recent victory, Congressman Sherman joined colleagues in introducing and then passing into law the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which banned the creation, sale, and distribution of videos that depict animal abuse.

Sherman also cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act to ban the sale of cosmetics developed using unnecessary safety testing on animals, which often involves painful and unnecessary experiments.

Sherman has worked to protect the thousands of puppies at puppy mills, where dogs are often malnourished and fall ill due to overcrowded conditions and improper care.

Congressman Sherman cosponsored the bipartisan Puppy Protection Act to require commercial dog dealers to provide adequate housing, veterinary care, socialization, and access to nutritious food and potable water to the dogs in their care.

The practice of cat declawing – an invasive surgical operation for cats in which the last bone of each toe is amputated – is a cruel procedure that has proven to have detrimental effects on cats’ well-being. That is why Sherman cosponsored a resolution in Congress expressing strong opposition to declawing cats for elective surgery.

Ensuring Stronger Enforcement of Federal Animal Welfare Laws

A top priority for animal welfare advocates has been providing adequate resources to address the critical lack of enforcement funding for federal animal welfare laws such as the Animal Welfare Act, the Horse Protection Act, the Disaster Planning for Animals Act, and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

Each year, Congressman Sherman joins colleagues in urging the Appropriations Committee, which drafts our nation’s spending bills, to provide the highest possible funding for enforcing these animal welfare laws.

Sherman also cosponsored the Better CARE for Animals Act, which strengthens the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) enforcement powers.

Promoting Wildlife Conservation

Congressman Sherman is committed to eliminating wildlife trafficking and other harmful practices which threaten animal populations, biodiversity, and our environment.

In 2022, Sherman helped pass into law the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act – which finally made it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins – and the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which prohibits the private possession and trade of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, or cougars.

In December, Sherman cosponsored the Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Act to expand our efforts in the U.S. to protect species at risk of extinction.

Defending State and Local Animal Protection Laws

Congressman Sherman has been a strong opponent of the federal government undermining state and local animal protection laws such as California’s Proposition 12, a critically important law which prohibits the sale of meat from farms that use cruel animal confinement practices.

When anti-animal welfare livestock producers challenged Proposition 12 before the Supreme Court, Sherman joined with colleagues in Congress to urge then-President Biden to support the law, and the Court ultimately upheld Proposition 12 as constitutional.

Protecting Horses

Sherman continues working to improve humane treatment of horses and crack down on the practice of horse soring – which involves injuring a horse’s hooves and legs to create an artificial high-stepping gait.

Sherman recently joined colleagues in reintroducing the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, which would fully eliminate the cruel practice.

Sherman is also a cosponsor of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, which permanently prohibits the slaughter of horses for human consumption and the transporting or selling of horses to be slaughtered elsewhere.

Finally, Sherman joined colleagues in cosponsoring the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act, which would end the inhumane practice of chasing wild horses and burros with helicopters to capture them, often leading to the animals’ injury or death.