The Humane Society Legislative Fund has released its annual "Humane Scorecard." The scorecard reports how legislators in the United States House of Representatives and Senate have acted on animal protection issues. The scorecard primarily tracks co-sponsorship of animal protection legislation in the House and the Senate.

Legislators representing Grand Rapids--Representative Vern Ehlers and Michigan Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow--generally were rated highly by the Humane Society. Senator Levin received a "Humane Champion" award for having a 100% rating on the scorecard and sponsoring the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act that created federal-level felonies for violating the federal law on animal fighting. Levin also co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and a law designed to prevent animal researchers from using stolen cats and dogs. Additionally, he signed onto a letter to the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee seeking more funding for animal protection. Senator Stabenow received a 75% rating. The Humane Society rated her lower for failing to co-sponsor the law preventing animal researchers from using stolen pets.

In the US House of Representatives, Representative Vern Ehlers received a 67% rating. Ehlers co-sponsored the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act that would require all garments trimmed with fur to list the source of the fur. He also voted for the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act that would create felonies for violation of federal animal fighting laws, a bill that prohibits the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses, and a bill that prevents the import of sport-hunted trophy polar bears from Canada. However, Ehlers did not co-sponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act that would limit the sale of horses for human consumption, nor did he sign onto a letter to the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee seeking additional funding for animal protection.