BOSTON — Despite what it might sound like, “Lobby Day for Animals” doesn’t mean there were lions, tigers and bears in the state House — but instead passionate people fighting to protect animals of all kinds in Massachusetts.

“It's exhilarating. It's almost like, 'wow, I am making a difference,'” said Sheryl Becker, Western Mass Animal Rights Advocates. 

People from all over the state travelled hours to Boston to meet with legislators on the animal safety bills in committee right now. Becker is from Agawam and feels like it means much more to legislators when she travels to fight for animals. 

“That has like 10 times the impact that an email does, you know? I mean, these people like myself who are here today gave up a work day,” she said. 

Bills these people are talking to elected leaders about include “Ollie’s Law,” which would set minimum safety standards for boarding facilities, a possession ban, which would prevent anyone convicted of animal abuse from owning another animal, as well as a pets and housing bill, among many others. 

“One of the bills that we're highlighting today has to do with pets in housing, and that's something that we see is an issue in every single legislative district,” said Stephanie Harris, senior legislative affairs director at the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “A lot of legislators recognize the housing crisis that we have here in the Commonwealth and care tremendously about making sure that their constituents are able to keep their families together, and that includes their companion animals.”

This legislation would stop insurance companies from denying or hiking up rates for people based on their dog’s breed. According to the Legal Defense Fund, it's this discrimination that forces families to choose between their dogs or affordable housing. 

The legislative session ends this July, so advocates are doing their final push toward getting their bills passed before they would have to start all over again.