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In a 2026 year-end Q&A, ASPCA Government Relations leader Nancy P. described the organization’s priorities: keeping pets with families, expanding access to veterinary care and resisting efforts to weaken farm-animal protections. She also pointed to New York City’s vote to end commercial horse-drawn carriage operations and said the ASPCA plans to explore new ways to expand veterinary care in 2027. The interview does not provide a full list of enacted measures or details for each coming campaign.
The ASPCA’s Government Relations team focused its 2026 legislative work on pet-friendly housing, access to veterinary care and defending state farm-animal welfare laws, the organization said in a year-end interview with senior vice president Nancy P. The ASPCA also identified expanded veterinary access as a major area for exploration in 2027, while housing and disaster response remain ongoing concerns.
Nancy P., who has worked at the ASPCA for 15 years and oversees its legislative and regulatory policy efforts at local, state and federal levels, said the organization develops policy by studying animal-welfare problems and working with veterinarians and sheltering experts. It then seeks public support for proposed reforms. The ASPCA’s stated aim is to change systems it considers harmful and prevent cruelty through laws and regulations.
The three priorities she named for 2026 were improving housing and sheltering policies so pets can remain with their families; expanding veterinary services through measures such as remote appointments and changes to what veterinary technicians may do; and blocking efforts in Congress to roll back state animal-welfare laws. Housing work includes reducing obstacles to pet-friendly rentals, challenging what the ASPCA describes as discriminatory insurance practices, and increasing crisis shelter options during disasters and extreme weather.
Nancy also cited the New York City Council’s October vote to end commercial horse-drawn carriage operations, with transitional support for drivers and retirement support for horses. She described the measure as the result of decades of advocacy and said the death of a young tourist that summer weakened opposition to a ban. The ASPCA’s account does not provide the name of the person who died or further details about the incident.
Housing and Veterinary Access Lead
The priorities address barriers that can affect whether people keep companion animals and whether animals receive care. The ASPCA says pet-friendly rental options and emergency sheltering can help families avoid separation during housing crises or disasters. Its proposed veterinary policy changes are intended to broaden the ways care can be delivered, including by enabling remote appointments and adjusting rules for veterinary technicians.
The organization’s work also reaches beyond companion animals. Its effort to oppose congressional action that could weaken state farm-animal protections concerns the authority of states to maintain their own animal-welfare rules. However, the interview does not identify the specific congressional proposals, the states affected or the precise policy outcomes, so the scale of that effort cannot be assessed from the account alone.
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A Long Campaign for Horses
The ASPCA presents its policy work as a long-term process involving research, coalition-building and public advocacy, rather than a sequence of quick legislative wins. Nancy said the timing of a policy victory can depend on political circumstances, while years of preparation may precede it.
She connected the New York City carriage measure to the ASPCA’s history of work on horse welfare, which dates to the organization’s founding in 1866. The interview describes earlier efforts including providing water and veterinary care and developing equine response resources. Nancy said the organization eventually backed a prohibition because incremental changes had not, in its view, adequately protected horses in the city’s streets.
At the federal level, she cited Goldie’s Act as an ASPCA-backed proposal intended to strengthen government oversight of puppy mills and accountability for violations. She also described a need for legal protections to prevent horses that lose their homes from being sent to slaughter in Mexico or Canada. The interview does not state that either measure became law in 2026.
Measures and Outcomes Still Unspecified
The interview offers a summary of priorities, but it does not list every 2026 bill or regulation the ASPCA worked on, distinguish all proposals that passed from those that remain pending, or give measures of their effects. It also does not name the congressional efforts the ASPCA says it blocked from rolling back state protections.
Details on the 2027 veterinary-care agenda remain open. Nancy did not identify specific bills, states, timelines or intended changes beyond exploring new ways to broaden access. The interview likewise does not provide an implementation schedule for New York City’s carriage ban or spell out the terms of support for drivers and horse retirement.
Advocacy Plans for 2027
The ASPCA says it will explore approaches to expanding veterinary access in 2027 and continue work on housing policies, including building networks of state leaders to support legislative campaigns. It also expects disaster-related advocacy to remain relevant as wildfires, hurricanes and heat waves create demands for rescue operations and temporary shelter for animals as well as people.
The organization encourages supporters to join its advocacy networks, including District Captains, the Regional Advocacy Field Team and the Horse Action Team. Those groups are described as ways to contact policymakers, mobilize local communities and work on equine issues. The interview does not give dates for particular campaigns or identify the next legislative milestones.
Key Questions
What were the ASPCA’s main legislative priorities in 2026?
The organization named pet-friendly housing and sheltering, expanded access to veterinary care, and efforts to defend state farm-animal welfare laws from congressional rollbacks.
What did the ASPCA say about New York City’s carriage-horse policy?
Nancy P. said the City Council voted in October to end commercial horse-drawn carriage operations, with transitional support for drivers and retirement support for horses. The interview does not provide implementation dates or the support terms.
What is the ASPCA planning for 2027?
The ASPCA plans to explore new ways to expand veterinary access. It also expects to continue housing advocacy and push for animal safety to be included in disaster rescue and temporary shelter efforts.
How can supporters take part in the ASPCA’s policy work?
The organization lists District Captains, the Regional Advocacy Field Team and the Horse Action Team as volunteer options. It says participants can contact policymakers, engage their communities or work on equine welfare campaigns.
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