| Breaking: New York outlaws wildlife killing contests BY KITTY BLOCK |
| Bodies of coyotes piled in the back of a truck after a killing contest in Sullivan County, New York, in 2020. The HSUS |
| Today Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to ban wildlife killing contests in New York state. This is a wonderful moment for wildlife, as New York has been the scene of more than 20 of these senseless spectacles each year. The contests targeted a broad range of animals including coyotes, foxes, bobcats, squirrels, raccoons, crows, rabbits and woodchucks. The new law, to take effect in November 2024, will prohibit cash-for-wildlife competitions in which the objective is to slaughter animals for money and prizes. We have long fought to end wildlife killing contests in New York; the bill was first introduced in 2006 by Assemblymember Deborah Glick. Since then, with Glick, state Sen. Tim Kennedy, our partner organizations and advocates across the state, we have pursued this legislation for nearly two decades Thousands of people contacted their legislators to urge support of the bill and Gov. Hochul to sign it into law. Our New York state director, Brian Shapiro, lobbied legislators year after year and amassed support from responsible hunters, wildlife-friendly farmers, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, scientists, environmental advocates and others. This broad coalition was in strong agreement that wildlife killing contests are simply cruel and unsporting. Read more. |
| Related StoriesOregon ends wildlife killing contests; New York poised to do the sameBreaking news: Washington becomes seventh U.S. state to outlaw wildlife killing contestsUndercover investigation exposes senseless rush to kill coyotes at New York wildlife killing contest |
Exposing the Big Game
Forget Hunters' Feeble Rationalizations and Trust Your Gut Feelings: Making Sport of Killing Is Not Healthy Human Behavior
Exposing the Big Game 
Finally! Thank goodness. Not only is it ‘wasteful’ slightly tone-deaf description from Gov. Hochul, but it is disrespectful to life, and the slob hunters who take part in it have no leg to stand on as far as being a primary species.
But, I’ll take this and thank the governor. For a progressive state, it was a long time coming.