Victory! Wildlife Killing Contests Banned in New York
On Friday New York's Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill A.2917/S.4099 into law, making New York the 10th state in the nation to ban horrific wildlife killing contests.
This incredible victory is years in the making and we are so thankful for everything the Species Unite community has done to contribute to this win for animals. By signing our petition, contacting state legislators or calling Governor Hochul about this bill you have played a crucial role in this monumental achievement.
Countless wild animals in the state of New York will now be saved from needless, violent deaths.
The success of this legislation in New York will also bring momentum to the movement to outlaw wildlife killing contests at the federal level. We will not stop fighting until all wild animals are safe from these brutal murder-for-sport events and we know that with your help we will keep winning!
Thank you to everyone who made this historic victory a reality.
What You Fought Against
Every year in the United States thousands of animals are horrifically slaughtered for fun in a cruel blood sport known as “killing contests”.
Like dogfighting, these murder for sport events, are popular only with a small segment of society and are not typically observed by the general public. Unlike dogfighting unfortunately, these contests are fully legal in 41 U.S. states. The animals killed for prizes in this twisted “sport” include all types of native North American wildlife including coyotes, foxes, prairie dogs, squirrels, wolves, mountain lions, rabbits, and even crows and other birds. The participants in these contests compete to kill as many animals as possible, often without any type of cap on the number they slaughter. They are awarded prizes for categories such as the most kills, the largest kill, or the smallest kill. The animals targeted in these contests are often considered pests with no legal protections, and their bodies are typically dumped like trash after the end of the contest.
These competitions serve no public interest. The animals that are killed do not pose a threat to humans, and scientific studies have shown that indiscriminate killing of animals provides no benefit in terms of wildlife management. The only purpose of these competitions is to allow people who like to kill for fun to do so for money.
In 2020 in New York, an undercover investigation revealed that 118 coyotes were killed in just one of these horrific contests. Coyotes are deeply complex, emotional animals that live in bonded pairs and form strong family connections. The undercover investigation revealed that during this contest even pregnant female coyotes were lured with bait, killed, mutilated, and then thrown in dumpsters.
Pushes to ban killing contests have had mixed results. Nevada recently failed to pass a measure whereas, in a major victory for animals, Oregon became the ninth state in the nation to outlaw wildlife killing contests.
Thanks to your support, Governor Kathleen Hochul signed A.2917/S.4099 into law to protect New York wildlife, ending this cruelty in the state once and for all.