The 2026 Washington legislative session starts on Monday! This is a short 60-day session, running from January 12th through March 12th.
Since this is the second year of the two-year legislative cycle, bills that didn't pass in 2025 will automatically pick up where they left off. Legislators can also introduce new bills, and we are tracking five new animal welfare bills so far. We expect to see at least a few others introduced after the start of the session.
Our 2026 Bill Tracker is live on the website and updated in real time. You can now get to it directly from our homepage. As of this moment, there are 14 bills on the tracker. Our bill, HB 1149, passed in the last session so in this session we will be focusing our efforts on helping other important animal welfare bills get across the finish line.
The 2026 session is off to a very fast start, with five bills scheduled for committee hearings or consideration/votes on Wednesday, January 14th.
Please take a few minutes to support these bills by completing the Action Alerts for each of them as soon as possible!
ADDRESSING LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY
- HB 1904 - Ban on Declawing Cats: would protect cats statewide by prohibiting the painful and unnecessary practice of declawing, while allowing an exemption when a veterinarian deems the procedure medically necessary to protect a cat's health.
- HB 1608 - Banning the Sale of Farmed Octopus: would prohibit the sale, possession, transport and distribution of farmed octopus products in Washington state, ensuring this inhumane and environmentally harmful industry never takes root in our state.
- HB 1735 - Prohibiting Force-Feeding Birds: would prohibit the cruel practice of force-feeding of birds to produce foie gras and ban the sale, possession, transport, and distribution of products produced through that process.
TAKE ACTION: Learn more and voice your support here by 8:00am January 14th.
KEEPING PETS & PEOPLE TOGETHER
- HB 2247: Expanding Vet Telehealth Access: would expand access to timely veterinary care by allowing veterinarians to diagnose and treat animals they have not previously examined through virtual appointments, ensuring animals can receive needed care when in-person visits are not immediately possible, when clients face significant transportation barriers, or when delays for urgent conditions would cause unnecessary suffering.HB 1078 - Pet Insurance Cancel & Nonrenewal Restrictions: would strengthen pet insurance protections by limiting insurers' ability to cancel or refuse to renew coverage based on a pet's age or health conditions, restricting waiting periods, and ensuring fairer terms for pet owners so more pets can get the care they need.
Your voice really does make a difference! Thanks for your support and please let me know if you have any questions.
