Celebrating Pets on Capitol Hill

Last week, members of Congress, their staff, and all-round animal lovers gathered at Pet Night on Capitol Hill to celebrate the human-animal bond. The evening featured special pet guests, including King, the 2019 Westminster Best in Show Winner, and Henry, the avalanche search and rescue dog from the film Superpower Dogs.

Additionally, members of Congress who helped support pet-friendly policies were honored. The event highlighted the ways that animals help people by providing social support, improving mental health, decreasing stress, increasing physical activity, and lowering blood pressure.

The highlight of the night was the announcement of winners of the Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill Contest. Featured here is Representative Susan Wild (PA-7) and her dog Zoey the Congressdog as they accept Zoey’s award for cutest dog. They are joined by contest judges Representative Kurt Schrader (OR-5) and Representative Ted Yoho (FL-3), who were veterinarians prior to serving in Congress.