Vermonters: Urge your Senators to support S.258
With a newly introduced bill, S.258 (sponsored by Senators Bray, Hardy, McCormack, and White), Vermont has the chance to lead the nation in wildlife governance and science-based wildlife policy.
This new bill would transform wildlife governance in Vermont, making it more democratic and consistent with broad public values, while also protecting coyotes from egregious and outdated practices such as baiting and hounding.
If passed S.258 would:
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- Shift rulemaking to the Department of Fish & Wildlife by making the unelected, governor-appointed Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board “advisory only”
- Set new standards for appointing Board members to ensure more diverse representation of stakeholders including both consumptive users (e.g. hunters, trappers and anglers) and non-consumptive users (non-hunting community members)
- Establish training for Board members on ethics, the impacts of climate change on wildlife, how to reduce human/wildlife conflicts, and other critical aspects of wildlife conservation
- Ban the egregious coyote killing practices of coyote hounding and baiting coyotes
Here’s how you can help ensure this groundbreaking bill makes it over the finish line:
- Look-up your Vermont Senator(s) contact information here.
- Contact your district Senator(s) by phone or email, or ask to set up an in-person meeting, and urge them to support S.258, to make Vermont a leader in science-based wildlife governance.
- Use these talking points about the bill when speaking with your Senator(s).
Thank you for joining us and other Vermont wildlife advocates including Protect Our Wildlife, Green Mountain Animal Defenders, Animal Wellness Action, Vermont Wildlife Coalition, Vermont Wildlife Patrol and Vermont Coyote Coexistence Coalition in support of S.258!