Support the Snowmobiles Aren't Weapons Act

The unthinkable brutality of the killing of Hope the wolf, who was chased down by snowmobile, dragged to a local bar, tortured, and then shot by Cody Roberts in Wyoming earlier this year, shocked the world. The tragic event also exposed the actions of a fringe group of violent individuals who use snowmobiles to hunt and kill wildlife for sport in several U.S. states.

What’s even worse is that most states have no laws preventing this horrific violence and cruelty.

These cruel and remorseless people can legally run over a range of predatory animals, including wolves, coyotes, raccoons, skunks and even stray cats. This brutal practice has been condemned by national hunting organizations, as using a snowmobile to chase, maim, and kill animals clearly violates the principle of “fair chase.”

Wyoming recently had the chance to put an end to this inhumane practice in the wake of the international outrage over Hope’s brutal murder. Unfortunately, state lawmakers bent to the will of a small group of heartless individuals and failed to do the right thing for wildlife. Wyoming will continue to allow this form of animal torture, as long as the animals are killed immediately after being brutally run over by snowmobiles.

This is unacceptable. It proves the urgent need for the federal government to intervene and stop this cruelty against our native wildlife.

Thankfully, a group of bipartisan members of Congress have introduced the Snowmobiles Aren't Weapons Act (H.R. 9568), which would “prohibit any person from using a motor vehicle to intentionally run over or kill a wild animal on public lands.”

Cody Roberts, the man who murdered Hope in cold blood, was given only a $250 fine for his horrific crime. If passed, the Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act would impose fines of up to $5,000 or one year in prison for those who commit these cruel acts.

We must ensure that this important legislation is passed so that no other animals suffer the unimaginable horror that ended Hope’s short life.

Take Action

Please join Species Unite in calling on Congress to pass (H.R. 9568) the Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act and end this senseless cruelty once and for all!

Further action:

You can make an even bigger impact by reaching out to your congressional representative and asking them to cosponsor this bill. You can use this link to find your representatives. Simply type in your zip code and your representatives will appear, click on the linked names over each person’s photo to go to their individual contact pages. There you can fill out an online form asking them to support (H.R. 9568) the Snowmobiles Aren't Weapons Act.

You can send a note as simple as:

Dear Representative [Name],

I am your constituent, and I am requesting that you become a cosponsor of the Snowmobiles Aren't Weapons Act. Running over wildlife with snowmobiles is not a legitimate form of hunting, it violates the principle of fair chase and is a shameful and cruel hobby that no responsible person could support. Please do your part to help get this bill passed.

Sincerely,