Sacramento, CALIFORNIA (Enviro Snowflake Brief)— In a stunning move more than 10 states have funded and implemented a central Wildlife Abuser registry to track Wyoming wildlife policy makers if they cross their state lines.
The consortium of states participating in the new Wildlife Abuser Registry was very clear on what this means for these Wyomingites (WYGF commissioners, WYGF wildlife biologists, state politicians), who choose to visit any of the participating Registry states.
The Jackson News & Guide was first to publish the jaw dropping Wildlife Abuser Registry policy this morning:
“The named individuals from Wyoming in the Wildlife Abuser Registry are first required when crossing into a participating state lines to notify that state’s law enforcement by calling 1-800-FORGIVE. Secondly, each offending individual must then stop at the nearest Highway Patrol Office to be outfitted with a GPS ankle tracking bracelet. Research has shown that animal abusers commit violence against other people at higher rates than usual, and therefore, the logic is compelling that the policy makers condoning and allowing acts of cruelty and torture to gray wolves and coyotes in Wyoming are a grave public concern for our citizens, our pets, and our wildlife. Wyoming is first but will not be the last state to have individuals on our registry. In the next two weeks Idaho and Montana will have officials added to the Wildlife Abuser Registry… more to follow. Each individual will remain on the list for 15 years after which they can petition for removal if they can prove any good deeds done for predators to reverse their state’s pattern of cruelty to wildlife.”
In order to understand how Wyoming got here, consider one former state wildlife professional in Wyoming told Mountain Journal that “what happens with wolves is kind of our dirty little secret—and if the public only knew this is allowed, people would be outraged, deservedly so.”
Todd Wilkinson, Mountain Journal, explains, “according to Wyoming statute, wolves in 4/5ths of the state can be killed ‘with, from, or by use of any aircraft, automotive vehicle, trailer, 35 motor-propelled wheeled vehicle or vehicle designed for travel over snow’—any unimaginable sadistic act to destroy these carnivores; lobos, coyotes and their young offspring is OK with Wyoming .”
Lisa Robertson, Wyoming Untrapped, says this is another wake-up call for the state. “Wyoming citizens need to plead to their new governor, legislators, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to act now to end these acts of cruelty even if it takes them 15 years to get off the registry.”
One Wyoming individual on the list gave ESB a statement, Sen. R.J. Kost, “I believe in local control in our state so it only makes sense … we should have the final say in how we kill our critters in our state, geez it’s critters not people and I bet California is behind this registry nonsense,” Kost said.
Sen. Kost did express concern on how he would explain the ankle bracelet to his 8-year-old son on his family’s upcoming trip in March to Disneyland.
