ACTION ALERT UPDATE: Good News! On May 31 SB 1480 passed the Senate Floor (22 to 14)! Follow Project Coyote's Facebook page for updates on when the bill will next be heard in the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee. To view the bill text click here.

California Residents:

Help protect California Wildlife from Cruel Trapping Practices

Ask your Senator to Vote "Yes" on SB 1480!

Good news! With your help SB1480 - the Consumer and Wildlife Protection Act- has cleared two hurdles in the California Senate. Now your help is needed again to ensure that it passes the Senate Floor.

Introduced by Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), SB 1480 will protect coyotes and other wildlife from unnecessary death and cruelty, reduce costs incurred by animal control and wildlife rehabilitation centers, decrease the chances of family dogs and cats being inadvertently killed in traps, protect homeowners who are often mislead by scofflaw wildlife trappers.

Among other protection measures SB1480 will:

• Require trappers to provide a written contract to consumers that include a summary of the laws related to dealing with wildlife.
• Require trappers to take steps to avoid orphaning dependant young and leaving them to die.
• Prohibit the most heinous methods of killing wildlife - drowning, chest crushing, and injection with chemical solvents - such as nail polish remover.
• Require that special precautions be taken when dealing with bats. In California, 10 of our 24 bat species are currently classified as "Species of Special Concern," meaning urgent protection is needed to prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered.
• Place additional restrictions on the use of kill-type traps to reduce the chances of family pets being inadvertently killed.

CA Residents: Your help is needed so that this bill continues to succeed in the state legislature. Even if you've already written or called before, please call and email your Senator and ask them to vote Yes on SB 1480 today. The full Senate will likely vote on this bill on May 31st so it is critical that you take action now!

Find out who your State senator is and their contact information here: http://leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.

Sample letter (please personalize using your own words):

RE: Support for SB 1480- the Consumer and Wildlife Protection Act

Dear Senator,

I urge you to vote "Yes" on SB 1480 - the Consumer and Wildlife Protection Act - that will increase protections for wildlife, the public and their companion animals from dangerous traps and trapping practices.

Each year thousands of animals suffer needlessly at the hands of bad-acting wildlife trappers. Young animals frequently are orphaned simply because the trappers failed to take reasonable precautions to avoid orphaning dependent young. As a result, animal control departments or wildlife rehabilitation centers incur the cost and burden of responding to animal-in-distress calls and of caring for orphaned wildlife lucky enough to be brought to them. Egregiously inhumane methods to kill wildlife may also be used - including drowning, chest-crushing and injection with chemical solvents that are not intended for euthanizing animals. Traps used by nuisance wildlife trappers also pose a risk to companion dogs and cats. Large-sized Conibear traps used on land are particularly dangerous.

SB1480 also contains much needed protections for bats to prevent unnecessary killing. In California, 10 of our 24 bat species are currently classified as "Species of Special Concern," meaning urgent protection is needed prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered.

SB 1480 will protect wildlife and family pets and will help homeowners make informed decisions when hiring someone to address a wildlife issue on their property.

Again, I urge you to vote "Yes" on SB 1480.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

***********

THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP FOR WILDLIFE!

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