From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)

We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Thank you NYS for enacting the Wildlife Killing Contest Ban

Letter as published on YonkersTimes.com
January 14, 2024

Letter to the Editor: WESTCHESTER RISING

We are proud that New York State has become the tenth state to enact a ban on wildlife killing contests.

Wildlife killing contests aren’t hunting – they are bizarre, gruesome spectacles giving prizes to the largest number of massacres in a set time period. ‘Traditional’ hunters like Jim Posewitz, the president of the Hunter’s Institute, are against these ‘contests,’ saying such contests create poor public relations for hunters.

Ed Nuse, former executive director of International Hunting Education, said, ‘We don’t like true hunting to be mixed up with such contests for money and prizes.’ There are hunting shows on TV, but not the killing contests – gotta go underground to view them. The public would be too appalled to see our wildlife – including crows, squirrels and rabbits – suffering and dying in piles like they’re trash.

They are not trash. They are not illegal immigrants, they are not criminals, they are not merely moving paper targets at the carnival. The days of saying ‘it’s just an animal’ are over. Youtube has shown us animal’s intelligence and sentience. Those who defend these contests by saying the prizes ‘benefit’ various charities can in fact reach into their wallets and make donations right now, from their hearts – no killing is necessary.

This is a great country; greatness doesn’t come by eagerly and pointlessly slaughtering and piling up dead and dying innocent beings to win a prize. Thank you, New York State, for being leaders in wisdom and compassion for the profoundly voiceless.

Kiley Blackman, Tuckahoe
Founder, Animal Defenders of Westchester
www.ADOW.org

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