(PRESS RELEASE) On Wednesday, Oct. 20, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) hosted the 4th annual Pet Care Community D.C. Fly-In, connecting members of the responsible pet care community with lawmakers in Congress to share personal stories and engage these decision-makers in the incredible power of pets.
Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by the pandemic, the fly-in was once again an online event. Nevertheless, it was highly successful, with over 60 participants holding nearly 100 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff over the course of the day. The diverse group hailed from 21 different states, representing constituents of 57 unique House districts and 42 unique Senate districts.
Participants included retail business owners, product suppliers, animal caretakers, veterinarians, pet trade group leaders and many more, spanning the breadth of the responsible pet care community. Just like last year, PIJAC made sure the group was well-prepared for their meetings, hosting a prep call the day before and providing them with a custom link to access a dashboard with their personal meeting schedule, talking points, Congressional biographies and more.
During the meetings, participants voiced the power of pets and pet ownership through talking about pending legislation and issues including the Preventing Future Pandemics Act, the Healthy Dog Importation Act, the impact of shipping delays and regulations, and the benefits and future of bringing small animals into classroom settings.
PIJAC is grateful for the dedication of all who participated in this year’s fly-in, and look forward to 2022, when hopefully the event can again be one with in-person visits to Capitol Hill decision-makers.
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