Animal Humane Society's legislative priorities

Animal Humane Society is focused on two legislative priorities during Minnesota’s 2024 legislative session.

A brown and white dog shaking someone's hand

Dog and Cat Data Transparency Bill

A decade ago, Minnesota adopted legislation to provide oversight of large-scale commercial dog and cat breeders in response to public concerns about animal welfare. But a last-minute addition to the 2014 law classified nearly all dog and cat breeder data as non-public, restricting access to critical information the law was designed to collect and disseminate. The Dog and Cat Data Transparency Bill makes this data public and provides access to information on state-licensed breeders such as the number of animals, the nature and frequency of violations, and breeders with revoked licenses. 

This bill (Senate File 3458 / House File 3410) was introduced at the start of the 2024 session. Learn more.

St. Paul animal care campus aerial view

Capital Investment in a new St. Paul animal care campus

Animal Humane Society is seeking one-time state funding to support the construction of a new animal care campus in St. Paul.

The $45 million construction cost of this project will be funded primarily through private donations, with nearly $20 million already secured from private donors. Given the extraordinary public benefit and ongoing economic impact of this project, AHS is seeking $15 million in one-time state funding during the 2024 legislative session to support the construction of this new facility. This is the first time AHS has requested state funding for a project. AHS operations are funded entirely through private donations and service fees.

This bill was introduced during the 2023 session. Senate File 2148 / House File 2012.

Other legislation we support

Companion Animal Board bill (SF 1136 / HF 1168): Establishes a board of experts to identify and address the current and future needs of Minnesota’s pets — and the people and communities that care for them. Animal Folks is leading advocacy efforts on this bill.

Licensed Veterinary Technician bill (SF 1522 / HF 1228): Elevates and protects the veterinary technician job title by establishing a process for veterinary technician licensure.

Recognizing the current veterinary technician shortage, the bill provides a transition period during which alternative minimum qualifications, such as on the job experience, can be applied toward licensure. The Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association is leading advocacy efforts on this bill.

Office of Animal Protection bill (SF 3542): Establishes an Office of Animal Protection (O.A.P.) under the Department of Public Safety. The office will identify and implement a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to the prevention of animal cruelty & enforcement of laws. Animal Folks is leading advocacy efforts on this bill. 

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Become an animal advocate

You can support legislative efforts to make Minnesota a more humane state by signing up to receive advocacy alerts. You'll receive periodic updates that keep you informed about issues impacting dogs, cats, and critters and explain how you can help animals through advocacy.

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