BEAT

PET PROTECTOR

Seasoned lawyer and political strategist Mark Cushing fights for the rights of household animals

There is a lawyer for every kind of legal issue, whether it be divorce, bankruptcy or property protection. These are the more common legal issues, but what about the lesser-known ones, like laws that impact animals? There has to be a lawyer advancing causes that relate to our country’s four-legged friends. There is, and his name is Mark Cushing. Oregon native Cushing was a gun trial lawyer in Portland before falling into the obscure field of animal law. He then relocated to Washington, D.C., as a partner of a national law firm and lobbyist. In 2006, he solved a major problem in Congress for the pet and veterinary industry. Cushing has since been giving a voice to the voiceless: animals. “I spend most of my time leading or working on change initiatives in the pet health care and animal welfare world. This is great fun and rewarding as we embrace the new status of pets in our society,” he says. In 2011, Cushing established Animal Policy Group and took it private in 2017. A mighty team of 10, Animal Policy Group provides gold standard advocacy, strategy, and consulting services to all facets of the pet sectors and veterinary colleges across North America. The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine and PetSmart are just a couple of Cushing’s clients. “Through my work with [these clients], I also get to be involved with a variety of nonprofits, including Arizona Humane Society,” he says. Cushing’s care for animals extends beyond the courtroom. His first authored book, which was released last month and is titled Pet Nation, tells the story of how companion animals have changed life as we know it. Since its debut, he has been writing away at the upcoming sequel. He and his wife, Natalie, have called Arizona home since 2017. The couple resides in Paradise Valley with their three fur babies: a papillon puppy named Louis and two Bengal kittens, Vera and Yves. “[Louis] is a real pal, and funny as can be. And the two kittens are Olympic athletes who view Natalie and me as staff and are in the process of a household takeover,” Cushing says.

BY ELIZABETH LIBERATORE / PHOTO BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE