Our Favorite Things from 2025

1. Action for Pet-Inclusive Housing

The MSPCA-Angell launched a new campaign focused on one of the most pressing issues facing Massachusetts residents — the housing crisis. The campaign, called Action for Pet-Inclusive Housing: Keeping Families Together, comes as kennel space across the state is tight with more owners forced to surrender due to housing-related issues. Our campaign seeks to increase the number of pet-inclusive rental units within Massachusetts, and advance strategic priorities in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Housing Plan while ensuring that pet-families are not left behind.

2. Animal Protection Victories on the Local Level

Advocates are leading initiatives to strengthen local animal protection laws, helping key issues gain visibility and momentum statewide. Brookline became the first municipality in Massachusetts to ban the sale of foie gras, while over 40 communities have restricted the use of anticoagulant rodenticides on their public lands. Truro, Salem, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Grafton, Georgetown, Concord, Billerica, Belmont, Lowell, Brookline, Newbury, Newton, Arlington, Eastham, Lexington, Orleans, and Wellfleet submitted home rule petitions to impose even stronger local restrictions. Learn how to make change in your community!

3. Our Community Advocacy Leaders

Since launching the Community Advocacy Leader (C.A.L.) Program in 2022, the initiative has grown dramatically. We now have 50 C.A.L.s representing 40 House Districts and 24 Senate Districts, reaching regions of the state where we previously lacked a strong advocacy presence. In 2025 alone, our leaders dedicated more than 2,000 hours to advancing animal protection priorities at the local, state, and federal levels. They also stepped beyond their traditional advocacy roles with research projects, such as gathering statewide data on pet-friendly housing, a critical contribution to our new housing campaign. Their dedication drives real change for animals.

4. Staff Attorney Improving Outcomes for Animals

Animals are spending less time in the shelter and get to meet new families quicker thanks to legal work done by our Staff Attorney, Lynsey Legier. When MSPCA Law Enforcement must seize animals in animal cruelty cases, Lynsey intervenes in the criminal case on behalf of MSPCA. Lynsey’s effective use of filing petitions in the court (pursuant to a statute we passed in 2001) enables seized animals to be forfeited or surrendered more efficiently, ensuring animals spend less time in “legal limbo” as evidence awaiting the adjudication of a case. Thank you Lynsey!

5. Hearings Galore!

This fall, our team testified on more than 40 pieces of legislation before 8 different legislative committees. Bill topics included companion animal welfare, pet-inclusive housing, animals used to research, rodenticide use, bans on fur and ivory sales, veterinary telehealth and insurance, and more. Although our department works diligently to engage with all animal bills, one thing is abundantly clear: we could not do this work without the dedication of our volunteers and residents who bravely share their personal stories. Check out the state legislation we support.

6. Jamie Blackburn Joins Advocacy

Jamie Blackburn joined our Advocacy Team in the newly created Housing Policy Specialist position. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Rutgers University and has worked over 15 years in the nonprofit sector, specializing in health and housing policy at the state and federal levels. For the last 7 years, she has volunteered as a foster home for several local rescue organizations, helping to find homes for over 50 dogs. She lives with her family including 3 rescue dogs Ben, Ellie, and Bean and two rescue cats, Mr. Cuddles and Wednesday. Jamie’s position is instrumental as we embark on the campaign to develop and implement strategies to create more pet-inclusive housing.

7. Events at the State House

It was a great year of events at the Massachusetts State House! From Co-Sponsor Day, to Lobby Day for Animals and Protect Animals from Rodenticides Lobby Day, to our Pet-Inclusive Housing and Animal Cruelty Briefings, we had successful advocacy events with legislators and advocates! Each event focused on different legislative efforts to protect animals and ensure that Massachusetts leads the way. Legislators and staff saw that animal issues matter to their constituents and responded with actions to support legislation!

8. Wally’s Advocacy Training Tour

This past year, our team taught advocates about animal protection issues and inspired involvement through specialized trainings and in person lobbying opportunities. In the spring, Bethany, our Community Advocacy and Engagement Manager, and her trusty sidekick Wally, hit the road and traveled 765 miles visiting eight amazing communities from Centerville to Shelburne Falls. Along the way, we met incredible animal advocates, animal control officers, and state legislators, to share how each person can use their voice to support animals.

9. Restricting Rodenticides in MA

We have been doing this a long time, but nothing prepared us for the advocate momentum around restricting anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) in Massachusetts. Constituents have brought the issue to their municipalities, to state executive offices, and to the state legislature. In July, over 200 advocates attended Protect Animals for Rodenticide Lobby Day at the State House, to ask their legislators to support An Act restricting the use of rodenticides in the environment. This legislation, sponsored by Representative Jim Hawkins and Senator Mike Moore, would restrict the use of ARs in Massachusetts to protect wildlife, pets, people, and the environment. Advocates then attended a rally and hearing in October to testify in favor of this legislation. With over 100 co-sponsors, this bill is making its way through the legislature, and currently resides in Senate Ways and Means.

10. Animal Laws that Went Into Effect in 2025

Important laws that we worked on to protect animals went into effect in 2025!

On January 1, the ban on traveling acts with certain exotic animals went into effect, preventing big cats, primates, elephants, giraffes, and bears from being transported into our state for entertainment.

In April, laws protecting puppies and kittens, ensuring families adopting or fostering children aren’t limited because they own certain types of dogs, and the ban on the declawing of cats went into effect.

In 2025, portions of Ollie’s law took effect, including the requirement that cities and towns report a list of kennels and dog day cares to the state. Rules and regulations for commercial training and boarding kennels are set to be promulgated in 2026 after input (given throughout 2025) from an advisory committee, on which we serve.

We want to thank all of you for helping us advocate for animals this year. We could not do this work without you, and your participation is key to help get the best outcomes for animals.

Happy pawlidays,

MSPCA Advocacy