WASHINGTON (Jan. 5, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., in Connecticut’s U.S. Senate Republican primary. Citing his effective leadership and impact on animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges Republican primary voters to support Shays.

“The humane community had perhaps no greater friend in Congress than Chris Shays,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He led the fights on important bills to protect pets, wildlife and farm animals, and stood up for the values of kindness and compassion. We urge Connecticut primary voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to support Chris Shays.”

Shays was a leading champion for animal protection while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, and has helped to enact a number of new federal policies to stop animal cruelty and abuse. Among his efforts, Shays has:

• Received the 2006 Humane Legislator of the Year Award.
• Served as co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus.
• Consistently scored a perfect 100% on HSLF’s Humane Scorecard.
• Sponsored the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, which was signed into law in 2006 and now requires that pets and service animals are included in disaster plans.
• Sponsored the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act, which would require that any producers who sell meat, eggs, and dairy products to the federal government must meet a basic set of animal welfare standards.
• Sponsored the Sportsmanship in Hunting Act which would halt the interstate traffic of exotic mammals for the purpose of shooting them within fenced enclosures for trophies at “canned hunts.”
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Enforcement Prohibition Act, which was signed into law in 2007 and strengthened the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights.
• Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to end the slaughter of tens of thousands of American horses for food exports to France, Belgium, and other countries.
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Protection Act and Pet Animal Welfare Statute to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” that treat the dogs like they are production machines.
• Co-sponsored the Polar Bear Protection Act and voted to stop wealthy American trophy hunters from shooting threatened polar bears in the Arctic for their heads and hides.
• Co-sponsored the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act to protect our food supply from “mad cow disease” by stopping the abuse of sick and injured cattle.

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

Media contacts: Pepper Van Tassell, (240) 751-0232, pvantassell@hslf.org