The Oregon State Senate voted today to pass Senate Bill 723, the bill to ban cruel contests that award prizes for killing the most coyotes. Thank you to all our supporters who contacted their state senators to urge them to vote "yes" on the bill.
Now there are two things you can do to help this bill move forward and to encourage our state senators to continue to support animal welfare legislation in the future.
First, if your senator voted in favor of the bill, please say "thank you." See below to find out who your senator is and how your senator voted.
Second, contact your state representative and ask your representative to support Senate Bill 723. The bill must pass the House of Representatives next. Then it will become law if approved by the governor.
For more information about the bill, go here. To find out who your state senator and representative are, and to get their contact information, go here.
Talking points:
Oregon has a history of drawing the line at unfair and inhumane practices that are out of step with our humane values. Coyote killing contests are completely at odds with ethical, fair-chase hunting.
SB 723 is not an urban vs. rural issue. This is about the state of Oregon, and how Oregonians value and treat the public’s wildlife. We can value hunting as a tradition and establish restrictions on practices that are cruel and unsporting.
Oregon’s wildlife, including coyotes, belong to all of us including, the majority of Oregonians who are non-hunters.
A recent public opinion poll commissioned by Remington Research Group indicated a strong majority of Oregonians support legislation to ban coyote-killing contests across all five congressional districts.
Studies show that the indiscriminate killing of native carnivores like coyotes will not protect livestock, and will not increase game species. It can even lead to an increase in coyote numbers by disrupting stable family packs, causing more reproduction.
SB 723 would not change any law regarding hunting or killing coyotes to protect people, pets or farm animals. It would only ban contests that give prizes for killing the most coyotes.
Oregon should follow in New Mexico’s humane footsteps by being the next state in the west to ban coyote-killing contests.
How Senators Voted ("aye" means "yes" and "nay" means "no"):
Baertschiger Jr Nay
Bentz Nay
Beyer Aye
Boquist Nay
Burdick Aye
Dembrow Aye
Fagan Aye
Frederick Aye
Gelser Aye
Girod Nay
Golden Aye
Hansell Nay
Hass Aye
Heard Nay
Johnson Nay
Knopp Nay
Linthicum Nay
Manning Jr Aye
Monnes Anderson Nay
Olsen Nay
Prozanski Aye
Riley Aye
Roblan Aye
Steiner Hayward Aye
Taylor Aye
Thatcher Aye
Thomsen Nay
Wagner Aye
President Courtney Aye