WASHINGTON (August 23, 2021)—Since the federal government turned management of gray wolves over to the states on January 4, 2021, these iconic and family-oriented animals have faced relentless persecution by trophy hunters and trappers. Yet, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today reaffirmed the Biden administration’s position that gray wolves should not be afforded Endangered Species Act protections. This decision defies the science and the law. The Humane Society family of organizations will continue to fight back against this effort.
Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said, “Rather than fulfilling their charge to conserve and protect native wildlife, today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service turned their backs on science, ethics and the values of most Americans and endorsed the continued no-holds-barred slaughter of one of our nation’s most iconic species. Returning federal protections to wolves is both legally required and necessary for these wolves’ survival and recovery, and we will continue to fight for their protection.”
Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said, “It is fallacious to insist the Biden administration’s review of the science supports delisting wolves. In fact, it defies logic, science and the values of the majority of Americans and serves the interests of only one small group: trophy hunters. As a native Minnesotan, I’ve seen first-hand the value of gray wolves to our natural ecosystems. But it’s not too late—the Biden administration has the opportunity to right the catastrophic wrong by standing by its own platitude of only making evidence-based decisions. Wolves should be listed. Americans support it, and so does the science.”
Media Contact
- HSUS/HSLF: Anna West, 240-751-2669, awest@hslf.org
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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at hslf.org/blog, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.
Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliates around the globe fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, the HSUS takes on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries, and together with its affiliates, rescues and provides direct care for over 100,000 animals every year. The HSUS works on reforming corporate policy, improving and enforcing laws and elevating public awareness on animal issues. More at humanesociety.org.
Subscribe to Kitty Block’s blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast.
