Saner Solutions to Wildlife Management

Two bills were introduced to curb cruel, costly, and dangerous wildlife management methods. In May, Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and David Schweikert (R-AZ) reintroduced the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (HR 3656), a bill to prohibit the inhumane and expensive use of helicopters to round up wild equines from the range. In June, Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced Canyon’s Law (HR 4068/S 1940) to remove M-44s (a.k.a “cyanide bombs”) from the arsenal of devices deployed for wildlife “management” on public lands. These cruel spring-activated devices, which spray sodium cyanide into the mouths of animals, are used by the USDA’s Wildlife Services program as a form of lethal wildlife management. The devices endanger humans and inflict painful deaths on native predators as well as nontarget animals (including endangered species) and companion animals.

Program Terms: Equines, Terrestrial Wildlife

AWI Quarterly Terms: Government/Legal, Quick Read