Congressman Cohen Introduces the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act
Press Release
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) and 15 cosponsors today introduced the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act to stop the practice of rewarding hunters for killing animals on public land in contests that serve no legitimate wildlife-management purpose.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
"America's wildlife all play a special role in the natural ecosystem and killing them for what some deem "sport' is both cruel and unnecessary. These contests serve no legitimate wildlife-management purpose and ending them is the right thing to do."
Sponsoring organizations' endorsements:
"This is a huge victory for coyotes, bobcats, foxes, mountain lions and all of America's wild carnivores that have been relentlessly persecuted for decades," said Stephanie Kurose, a senior policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "It's appalling that these thrill-kill, mass slaughter contests were ever allowed on our public lands. We applaud the leadership of Representative Cohen and other cosponsors for introducing this important legislation, which will protect hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and spare countless wildlife from these ruthless kill fests."
"A closer look makes it pretty clear that these bloodbaths constitute neither wildlife management nor sport," said Tracie Letterman, Vice President, Federal Affairs, of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "Killing contests aren't merely retrograde cruelty, either. They destroy native carnivores like coyotes, who play a vital role in ensuring the health of forest and pastoral ecosystems. Now, thanks to Representative Steve Cohen's leadership, we have a chance to do something about it."
"We commend Representative Cohen and cosponsors for their leadership on this critical issue," said Camilla Fox, founder and executive Director of Project Coyote. "Most people are shocked to learn that wildlife killing contests are even legal on our public lands. Killing animals for prizes and entertainment is ethically indefensible, ecologically reckless and anathema to sound wildlife conservation and management."
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