FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Judie Mancuso of Social Compassion In Legislation speaking to hundreds of attendees urging P-45’s life be saved at Press Conference on November 30, 2016
Recent Developments Mark Significant First Step in Path to Passing New Legislation to Protect the Lives of Local Mountain Lions
December 5, 2016, Los Angeles – The highly divisive stance of mountain lion P-45’s fate is now finding common ground among animal welfare organizations, ranchers and the community as a whole following a heated Press Conference last week organized by Judie Mancuso, President of Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL).
“Once word got out that there was a hit on P-45’s life we mobilized the community and elected officials in the area,” said Mancuso. “We thank the community for coming out by the hundreds, and the elected officials in P-45’s range for swiftly taking action and showing their compassion by sharing their concerns and asking that the permit to kill P-45 be stopped.”
Among those lending their voice to the cause were legislators Assembly Member Richard Bloom, Senator Ben Allen, Senator-Elect Henry Stern and County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. Although P-45 is not in his district, animal champion and veteran local mountain lion supporter, Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Koretz, weighed in as well.
“We greatly appreciate and value their sound decision making, and compassionate voices for the rancher to choose animal husbandry best practices versus killing,” continued Mancuso who has a proven track-record, which spans decades, in sponsoring and supporting legislation promoting the care, protection and rights of animals.
The recent decision by Victoria Vaughn-Perling to not act on the kill permit and to instead work with Fish & Wildlife, National Park Service and the Mountain Lion Foundation to better understand the alternatives available to ranchers to humanly protect their animals from mountain lions, and to implement them, marks a significant step in the right direction that animal welfare organizations want to ultimately end with the passing of new legislation.
“It is for P-45, and the thousands of mountain lions like him, that Californians should take the lead to allow greater discretion about when, where and why a depredation permit may be issued,” said Lynn Cullens, Executive Director of Mountain Lion Foundation, who noted that her office responds to dozens of calls about situations like P-45’s every week. “I hope that we can amplify the voices of support I heard this week so that they echo north through the hills and valleys and all the way to the halls of the state capitol: Californians care about lions, and now it’s time to change the law.”
Other animal welfare organization leaders and participants in the Press Conference, whose combined efforts helped to save P-45’s life, also now share an optimistic outlook for the present and future protection of local mountain lions.
“We share this land with wild animals and it is our responsibility to learn how to coexist and do what we can to mitigate negative encounters. This community effort shows that our community cares deeply for wildlife and that compassionate conservation is the way forward.” – Randi Feilich, Southern California representative for Project Coyote.
“Residents of California mobilized within twenty-four hours of hearing about the permit issued to kill P-45 for behaving like a mountain lion. Our collective determination to save his life brought the community together to learn viable solutions to co-exist peacefully with our wildlife. It is our hope these alternatives will be replicated in other states dealing with this issue saving many other lives.” – Simone Reyes, Vice President of Communications for Social Compassion in Legislation
“Hundreds of animal loving taxpayers raised their collective voice to speak for P-45; demanding government officials find a non-violent solution for a mountain lion trying to navigate an ever-diminishing habitat. Let’s hope P-45 can continue to roam free. Now let’s get the government to come up with similarly peaceful solutions for all the other mountain lions trying to survive in a hostile world.” – Jane Velez-Mitchell, Editor JaneUnChained.com
“We are blessed to be able to coexist with such stunning creatures as the Mountain Lion and it is our job to protect them for the future of our planet and generations to come. The survival of their species depends on it.” – Katie Cleary, President of World Animal News
“This is a wonderful example of a community spontaneously coming together to show us that the joys of living with native wildlife and domestic animals are not mutually exclusive. It should serve as a model and this collaborative resolution gives us hope that we’re not living in an entirely divisive world. We don’t have to reach out all that far to find common ground.” – Miriam Seger from Project Bobcat
“We are thrilled the life of P45 has been spared. We want to thank the rancher for showing tolerance and for being open to adopting new husbandry methods and non-lethal tools that will help her keep her pets and livestock safe while allowing her to peacefully share the land with the native wildlife. This is a true win win for everyone.” – Fauna Tomlinson, Program Associate for Project Coyote
Download the press release here.