Within the U.S. Department of Agriculture exists a benignly-named, yet secretive agency that quietly kills more than 5 million animals annually. USDA's Wildlife Services was created by Congress in 1915 to exterminate wolves from the landscape. They've gradually grown into the nation's biggest wildlife killer, at a cost to U.S. taxpayers of more than $30 million every year.
Ask your Congressional Representative to investigate USDA's Wildlife Services.
Wildlife Services was the subject of a recent Sacramento Bee exposé that found that their methods are both indiscriminate and ineffective. Since 2000, the agency has accidentally killed more than 50,000 non-problem animals, including federally protected species like golden and bald eagles!
Urge your Member of Congress to investigate USDA's WIldlife Services and to reform this agency.
The methods employed by Wildlife Services to carry out this large-scale killing are inherently risky. Leg hold traps, baited snares designed to strangle, and spring-loaded sodium cyanide cartridges kill randomly, putting every animal in the vicinity at risk. Wolves, bald eagles, and endangered California condors, in addition to pet dogs, have died.
Their more direct methods of killing are hardly better. Through the use of aerial gunning and other methods, Wildlife Services has killed nearly one million coyotes since 2000. In the words of a 26-year veteran of the agency, "It's a killing business. And it ain't pretty."
Congressional Representatives DeFazio and Campbell have recommended that Congress investigate the Wildlife Services. Please send your Representative an email asking that they support this investigation.
Wildlife Services quietly kills more than 5 million animals every year, without consideration for modern science and management principles, or associated environmental, economic or social consequences. This is an unnecessary and expensive agency that America can do without. Representatives DeFazio and Campbell have recommended that Congress investigate the Wildlife Services. No agency needs Congressional oversight more than Wildlife Services, and taxpayers would benefit from reducing or eliminating its budget. Please join your colleagues to call for an investigation of Wildlife Services.
The Sacramento Bee recently published a shocking exposé revealing Wildlife Services' killing programs as inhumane, unscientific, expensive, ineffective and occasionally illegal. The Bee has since forcefully editorialized in support of investigating the agency http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/27/4517631/put-pressure-on-wildlife-services.html).
Wildlife Services is an unruly agency that is out of control. Please join Representatives DeFazio and Campbell's request to hold oversight hearings immediately and bring Wildlife Services to account.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
