Lobby Day for Animals

Attend a webinar to learn about Lobby Day and the animal protection legislation you will discuss with your legislators (you will receive the information/links when you register). This is not required, but is highly recommended as a great way to get all the info you would like prior to Lobby Day.

• Registration: Check-in begins at 10:00 am in the Great Hall on the 2nd floor of the State House. Please allow time for traffic, parking, and State House security.
• Speaking program: 11:00-11:45 am
• Group photo: 11:45 am
• Learn about priority legislation: 12:00-12:30 pm. Talk with representatives from the MSPCA, ARL, HWA, and ALDF about the day’s priority legislation.
• Lunch: A plant-based lunch is included with your registration. Please bring a reusable mug and/or water bottle to help us cut down on waste.
  Afternoon meetings with legislators: We will schedule meetings with your state senator and state representative between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm. Please let us know ASAP if you cannot stay for the afternoon meetings.

After your meetings, please return to the Great Hall to complete important meeting evaluation forms. Though the event ends around 3:00, you may be done earlier depending upon your meeting times.

If you want to find out your meeting times before Lobby Day, email advocacy@mspca.org after June 19 and we’ll share the latest scheduling info.

*Please check your latest email for final schedule.

If you have time, you can tour the State House or listen in on a House or Senate session if one is scheduled. You might also enjoy exploring the Freedom Trail or the Public Garden.

Driving and public transportation directions to the State House. The least expensive parking is underneath the Boston Common, which requires walking a few blocks up a hill to the State House. Note this garage can fill up. You can reserve a spot through SpotHero at this garage or another. Enter by the General Hooker entrance on Beacon Street (a statue of General Hooker on a horse marks the entrance). There is an accessible entrance around the corner on Bowdoin Street. The event is on the 2nd floor in the “Great Hall.” We will have a greeter from our team at the entrance to help direct you. The Rangers at the entrance are also very helpful.

We often get this question! Business casual is appropriate. Dress neatly and professionally, and wear shoes that are comfortable enough for walking.

We will hold a blanket, towel, sheet, and pet food drive — please bring these items for donation to local animal shelters.

Join the conversation at the Lobby Day for Animals event on Facebook. Please visit this webpage for tips on using social media to advocate for animals and maximize the impact of Lobby Day.

Don’t be intimidated — legislators are people too, and some of them really like animals and have adorable pets. Staff are very friendly, helpful, and eager to learn about pending legislation. As an informed constituent, you can be a great resource to them.

How do your elected officials rate on legislation affecting animals? We’ve updated our legislative scorecard so that you can check whether your legislators have sponsored or co-sponsored any of this session’s animal protection bills, or bills that are harmful to animals.

While there are many important bills that the legislature is considering, we can only focus on a limited number of bills during Lobby Day. Many other bills you may be interested in will have or have had their own rally/lobby day/day of action. If your legislators are on a key committee, we may ask you to speak about another bill or emphasize one of these in particular. Don’t worry about memorizing anything! All the notes you may need for the day will be in your packet.

Please let us know so that we can cancel your appointments with the legislative offices. If you know ahead of time that you can’t attend, email advocacy@mspca.org.

Email advocacy@mspca.org.

We will have maps of the State House and staff to direct you. The State House also has very helpful signs in the building to allow the public to find offices.

Advocates will have the option to sit with other attendees from their region. This will give you a good opportunity to connect with advocates who will be going to your meeting. We also suggest you meet outside a legislator’s office a little early to meet with your group. You will have nametags identifying you as participants in Lobby Day for Animals, so that should help find each other outside the specific legislator’s office. Once you are at the office and it is time for your meeting, simply let the person at the front desk know that you have an appointment.

If you have a meeting set up and would like someone to accompany you, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing advocacy@mspca.org. We will do our best to find a staff member or other experienced person to attend with you.

Start by thanking the legislator or staff person for meeting with you and introduce yourself. Let them know that you are a constituent and where you live. Let them know that animal issues are important to you and what bills you are interested in (you have information about bills in your packet). Please give the legislator/staff person one of the copies of the fact sheets in your folder (the materials for your legislator will be labeled). We may ask you to discuss specific issues depending on who your legislators are; if not, you can start talking about the bills in the packet. Feel free to tell your legislators why an issue is important to you, your family, friends and community. You can talk about your personal interest in animals and what caused it (you’ve adopted homeless, abused animals, etc.). Share any expertise or experience you have. Also, be sure to listen to the legislator’s comments and questions. This can give you cues on how to make your points and what additional information might be helpful. Ask what the best way to follow-up is — email? Phone call?

You are not expected to be an expert on every issue — you are a citizen who cares about animals and has an opinion. If a legislator asks a question and you do not know the answer, simply state that and let them know you will follow up with an answer. Then, let us know and we will help you find the answer.

We’d like you to discuss the bills in the packet. However, an important message for the day is not just about specific bills, but that legislators have constituents in their districts that care tremendously about animals and are willing to take time and effort to advocate for them. We have prioritized these issues due to their impact on animals and where they are in the legislative process. However, we understand that certain issues are important to people for various reasons, so it is okay if you mention other issues. We ask that you please discuss the bills in your packet first, followed by those issues that are key to you.

Please ask legislators if they have formed a position on these bills (you can share this with us later via the meeting form evaluations provided to you). If they are not swayed by your conversation or disagree with you, don’t get hostile. Just because your legislator is against you on this issue doesn’t mean they will always be. Let them know you appreciate their time and consideration. Ask the legislator or staff person why they have this opinion and if there is additional information that would help change their opinion. If they don’t have a position, ask what they need to decide and discuss how you should follow up.

Check back in with us at the Great Hall and complete the meeting evaluations in your packet.