ICAN

Now, more than ever, your voice is needed to enact change for imperiled wildlife in the US and around the globe. The IFAW Conservation Action Network (ICAN) is a nationwide platform for public advocacy, giving you an opportunity to improve and strengthen animal welfare and conservation policies.  

As an ICAN advocate, you’ll receive policy updates and issue alerts with specific opportunities to add your voice to a chorus of advocates across the country. ICAN advocates help educate decision-makers and encourage responsible conservation policies that protect wildlife and critical habitat areas here at home and worldwide. 

Why should you sign up? 

Animals threatened by disasters, endangered species caught up in the illegal wildlife trade, dolphins, turtles, whales and other marine life facing lethal threats just off our shores, terrestrial animals trapped in shrinking natural habitats—all of them need our help. IFAW and our partners are responding on a daily basis, rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing animals into safe habitat areas around the world. 

This lifesaving work is vitally important. But for sustained and lasting change, informed and timely actions are needed by elected and appointed government officials and other stakeholders to ensure US conservation leadership, at home and abroad, and effective conservation policies. 

ICAN advocates play a critical role in this work by helping educate local, regional and national policymakers on key initiatives and opportunities, driving change to protect animals and the wild places on which their survival and our own depend. Well-timed outreach to your elected and appointed government officials through calls, personal correspondence, petition signatures, letters to the editor and social media all make a difference. By engaging in these activities, ICAN advocates help ensure progress on issues and policy decisions that matter. 

Join ICAN today to lend your voice and take a stand! 

Take action for wildlife

See below what actions you can take to help wildlife. Feel free to also visit our website.

How can you be an effective advocate for wildlife?  

While ICAN provides you with targeted opportunities to participate in collective advocacy activities, if there is an issue you particularly care about, you can conduct impactful outreach as an individual. Local, state, and federal elected officials want to hear their constituents' stances on issues, and there are many ways to be heard. Use the tools below to identify your representative and make your position known.  

Find your members of Congress 

Contact your representatives 

Congressional staffers consider regular phone calls the most effective form of constituent communication. Find your members’ contact information above or call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with their office. 

Here is a sample script you can adapt for any advocacy ask: 

“Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY, STATE]. 
I am contacting your office to ask [SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to [ADVOCACY ASK].  
As a voter, I am concerned about [ISSUE] because [IMPACT]. [OPTIONAL – ADD ANY OTHER RELEVANT BACKGROUND, EVIDENCE, or PERSONAL STORIES].  
Again, I urge [SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to [ADVOCACY ASK]. 
Thank you for your time and consideration.” 

Here’s an example:  

“Hello, my name is Katie, and I am a constituent from Washington, D.C. 
I am contacting your office to ask Representative Norton to oppose the ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R 1897).  
As a voter, I am deeply concerned about this bill because it would gut the Endangered Species Act and put our endangered animals at risk of extinction. The Endangered Species Act has prevented the extinction of over 99% of its listed species. My community in D.C is passionate about animal welfare, and we strongly support our bedrock environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act. 
Again, I urge Representative Norton to oppose the ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R 1897). 
Thank you for your time and consideration.” 

Tip: You can ask to talk to or leave a message for the staffer who deals with the issues you are concerned about when you call – typically this is the Animal Welfare and/or Environment staffer. They will be the most familiar with the issue you are discussing! 

Meet with your representatives 

If you are able, meeting with your representatives and their staff in person or virtually is a powerful method for communicating your concerns. By putting a face to the issue, your elected officials and their staff can see firsthand how their voters feel about certain actions. You can call or email offices to ask for a meeting or show up in person at town halls and other public events.  

You can use the script above as a starting point for meetings as well – remember to personalize your message by including how the issue impacts your district or state and make a clear ask. 

If you are interested in meeting with your Congressperson to represent an issue you care about, we can help you prepare. Contact us at sseaberg@ifaw.org to get started. 

Spread awareness on social media  

Social media is a convenient tool for delivering messages farther and faster. Raise awareness about threats to wildlife within your communities by posting or reposting about key issues and sharing opportunities to engage via ICAN or other action platforms.  

You can also address your elected officials directly on their public platforms to get your opinions seen. You can ask them to vote a certain way if they sit on key Committees, draw attention to potential threats that they can act upon, and share messages of appreciation celebrating wins for wildlife, like pro-environmental legislation getting passed.  

Key Considerations  

Your elected officials are concerned with their constituency, so make sure to identify yourself as a member of their district or state. 

Do your research! Gather key facts about the issue you are advocating for, and the person you are addressing. Find out what Committees and Caucuses your representative sits on, if they have sponsored relevant legislation, and if they have any connections to the issue. If you need help, contact us at sseaberg@ifaw.org to provide additional information. 

You don’t need to be an expert on an issue - provide personal stories and give your perspective on why it matters to you as a member of their district. Elected officials often hear from scientists and other experts about wildlife issues, so your job is to be a local voice on the matter.  

Make an ask when you reach out to elected officials. Whether it is to support or oppose a piece of legislation or simply to speak to their colleagues about an issue, providing a clear and achievable ask is a critical component to advocacy. If applicable, include the name of the legislation and bill number that you are calling about – you can find more information about specific legislation in our Key Legislation tab or at www.congress.gov. 

Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R 3199/S. 1594) 

Sponsor: Rep. Quigley (D-IL-5) 

Status: Introduced in the House (H.R 3199) and Senate (S.1594) 

Despite serious animal welfare and safety concerns, the cruel and dangerous trade in “pet” primates remains active in the U.S. Private ownership results in lifelong suffering for primates, and immense threats to people. Primates are wild animals whose needs cannot be met in private households and who suffer physically and emotionally when kept in isolation. They are often abused to make them more suitable for domestic life, enduring mutilation like tooth removal. Keeping primates as pets is not only inhumane – it poses a serious public safety risk. Since 1990, there have been over 300 reports of dangerous incidents, including attacks, resulting from private ownership of primates. Many more likely go unreported. In addition, living in close quarters with primates increases the risk of spreading deadly zoonotic diseases. 

The bipartisan Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA) protects primates from the cruel and destructive exotic pet trade and promotes public safety. The CPSA amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C 3371) to include chimpanzee, galago, gibbon, gorilla, lemur, loris, monkey, orangutan, tarsier, or any hybrid of these species as “prohibited primate species.” It would prohibit the import, export, transport, sale, receival, acquiring, or purchase of these primate species, as well as their breeding and possession, outside of professional animal care settings, effectively removing them from the exotic pet trade.  

Wildlife Confiscations Network Act (H.R 3538) 

Status: Introduced in the House (H.R 3538), Subcommittee Hearing held by House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries 

Wildlife trafficking - the illegal trade, smuggling, poaching, capture, or collection of legally protected animals - endangers imperiled animals, harms valuable ecosystems, and drives international crime. From 2015 to 2019, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials oversaw 834 cases involving live wildlife denied clearance for entry to the country, representing 48,793 individual live specimens, each in need of placement and specialized care. In 2023, the USFWS and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) launched the pilot Wildlife Confiscations Network in Southern California to support federal law enforcement in managing these cases, providing care and placing seized animals in proper care facilities. In less than two years, the pilot has already addressed 135 cases, placing over 4,600 animals. 

The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act would support federal law enforcement in combatting wildlife trafficking by codifying the Wildlife Confiscations Network and authorizing annual funding, helping ensure that animals confiscated at US ports of entry can be effectively and efficiently placed in expert care, thereby significantly increasing their chances of survival. The Act would create a voluntary, nationwide program, designate a single point of contact to assist law enforcement, maintain a database of qualified facilities, and create a review committee to evaluate applications from care facilities interested in joining the Network. 

Become a member of ICAN to be notified of opportunities to take action and protect animal welfare. By signing up you will receive: 

• E-mails and/or text notifications with action alerts when we need you to make your voice heard on legislation and rulings made by federal and state decision-makers. Alerts and engagement opportunities will be catered to you by region – if your elected official sits on a key Committee or Caucus, your participation is especially important!  
• Monthly newsletters with updates on priority legislation and policies that impact wildlife and their habitats.  
• Access to trainings and materials from IFAW experts to improve your advocacy skills, learn more about conservation policy, and become a wildlife leader in your community!