Humane Society to give 131 awards to lawmakers

Many members of Congress advocated for animal rights last year, and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is going to give an award to every one of them.

It could get crowded on Wednesday evening in the Capitol, where, according to a statement, the 2009 Humane Legislative Achievement Awards will honor 131 lawmakers. That's about one of every four members of Congress.

There will also be a special award for the Humane Legislator of the Year, which goes to Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), pictured here eith fellow animal-rights proponent Hayden Panetierre, who HSUS commends for his work to protect wild horses, among other things.

With this many awards to give out, it's understandable that the animal rights group can't set aside special time for each of them. Instead, legislators are invited to stop by and pick up their award and pose for a photo anytime between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., in what could be described as a cattle call for animal protection. 

Photo credit: LIFE magazine