HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Animal Protection Caucus has unveiled its bipartisan leadership team for the 2025-2026 legislative session and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening animal welfare laws across the state. During an announcement on Wednesday, the caucus also outlined its legislative priorities, highlighting key initiatives aimed at improving protections for animals throughout the commonwealth.
The caucus, which operates as a bipartisan and bicameral group, will be co-chaired by Rep. Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester), Rep. Kathleen Tomlinson (R-Bucks), Sen. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny), and Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne). Having first founded the caucus in the 2021-2022 legislative session, Rep. Shusterman emphasized its mission to advocate for animal welfare through meaningful legislation.
“We have some huge fighters for animal protection here in Harrisburg ready to increase the amount of effective animal welfare legislation in Pennsylvania,” said Shusterman. “We’ve made great strides to strengthen animal protection laws, but more can always be done. From adoption to animal cruelty, we stand ready to support the needs of our commonwealth’s furred, feathered, and scaled friends.”
The caucus has already achieved significant progress in recent years, including its work in the prior legislative session to strengthen the state’s dog law. Reforms included improved enforcement of breeding standards and dog licensing, as well as provisions to protect the pets of domestic violence survivors. Additionally, the group helped advance legislation to curtail pigeon shoots, a long-criticized sporting practice many animal advocates branded as cruel.
Looking ahead, the caucus outlined an ambitious agenda for the upcoming session. Its priorities include increasing funding for animal fighting investigations, enabling the Attorney General’s office to assist in prosecuting animal cruelty cases, and transferring oversight of humane society police to the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC). These initiatives are rooted in the caucus’s broader goal of creating a more coordinated and enforceable framework for animal welfare across Pennsylvania.
“We have a lot of work to do,” said Shusterman. “We need to talk to one another and advocate across the aisle. We’re looking to make a large impact for all of Pennsylvania’s animals during this session. And always remember to adopt, don’t shop.”
With its history of action and slate of future plans, the PA Animal Protection Caucus continues to champion the rights of animals statewide. By focusing on cross-party collaboration and comprehensive legislation, the caucus hopes to advance its mission of building a safer and more humane environment for all animals in Pennsylvania. Through its collective efforts, the caucus aims to demonstrate that progress in animal welfare is both achievable and essential.
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