Stop the bloodshed! Make animal killing contests illegal in New York 

FoA is asking New York residents to contact their state legislators, and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors of Senate Bill #4074 and Assembly Bill #03661 which would ban wildlife-killing contests in NY. Find contact information for your state legislator right here. 

DID YOU KNOW THAT POMPEY, N.Y., IS PREPARING FOR A BLOODBATH JAN. 9 WHEN IT WILL BE THE SITE OF A KILLING CONTEST INVOLVING COYOTES, BOBCATS AND FOXES. THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST, HOSTED BY THE INDEPENDENT FUR HARVESTERS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, IS SLATED TO WIN $1,000, WITH A $100 BONUS FOR THE HEAVIEST COYOTE.

Friends of Animals (FoA) is horrified that wildlife hunting competitions with cash prizes, which encourage and glorify the slaughter of innocent animals, are still allowed in the state of New York and supports Senate bill #4074 and Assembly bill #03661, which would make these contests illegal.

“Killing contests may pump adrenaline into the single-digit percentage of hunters left in New York state, but awarding cash prizes for shooting bobcats, coyotes and other animals it not only immoral, it’s a bounty and should be illegal,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.

To address rising concerns with hunting contests, in March of 2013 NY state Sen. Avella co-sponsored Bill #4074, with Senator Jack Martins, which would make it unlawful for any person to organize, conduct, promote or participate in any contest or competition where the objective of such contest or competition is to take the greatest number of wildlife. The same legislation was introduced in the Assembly. The bills are stuck in the Environmental Conservation Committee.

“I remain appalled by the idea that the competitive, unlimited slaughter of wildlife, all to earn points and prizes, is to be considered a recreational activity,” Avella said. “This contest is yet another example of using a competition to promote the killing of countless animals. As a co-sponsor of the bill that would ban hunting contests with no limit, I am committed to continuing to fight for reasonable restrictions when it comes to hunting.”

FoA’s Campaigns Director Edita Birnkrant said, “As a New Yorker, I’m disgusted that beautiful bobcats, coyotes and foxes in my state will be shot and killed so that repulsive hunters can win prizes in a contest sponsored by a fur organization—the very industry that targets these same species en masse for their skins.”

Birnkrant pointed out that California has recently banned wildlife killing contests, and says it’s time for New York to follow suit. 

“New Yorkers demand protection for our wildlife, and these sadistic killing contests encourage a violent, twisted mentality that makes shooting animals into a game. We want an end to hunters invading the woods and blasting away at wildlife with their guns and then being rewarded for it. There’s no place in a civilized society for such barbarism,” Birnkrant said.

FoA is asking New York residents to contact their state legislators, and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors of the bill to ban wildlife-killing contests in NY. Find contact information for your state legislator right here. 

“The time has come to make killing contests and hunting of predators for fun a thing of the past. This mentality is antiquated and does not reflect best available science nor take into consideration the public’s trust in wise wildlife management policies,” said Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense.