We are deeply dismayed by the news that Washington State has begun systematically killing members of a wolf pack accused of preying on privately owned cattle on public lands. That’s why we have a #jeer for the supposed animal protection organizations that sat on the “Joint Conservation Wolf Advisory Group” and allowed the demands of ranchers to come before the well being of the very animals they claim to defend.
Wolf Haven International, the Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, and Conservation Northwest released a shockingly brief statement about the killing of the wolf pack, which makes up 12% of the state’s wolf population and will be done by gun-equipped airplanes, claiming that the decision takes into account the opinions of a “diverse group of stakeholders”. We at Friends of Animals know this means that ranchers, hunters and other members of the meat industry have yet again been able to marginalize wildlife for their own gain.
“All of this is sadly predictable; the statement from so-called wolf groups and more tragically what is happening to the wolves themselves.” said Priscilla Feral, president of FoA,  “At Friends of Animals, we’ve seen this happen time and time again. The only way to end this cycle is to end this type of abusive land use by ranchers and start having people become sensitized to shunning the meat industry if we really want to make a change.”
This situation occurring in Washington also appears to be ridiculously calculated, as Robert Wielgus, director of the Large Carnivore Conservation Lab at Washington State University explained to The Seattle Times,, “the livestock operator elected to put his livestock directly on top of their den site; we have pictures of cows swamping it.”
It’s absurd that animal advocacy groups on another “protection committee” sat idly by and were complacent about killing wolves simply because they are inconveniencing a rancher and his privately owned cattle.

This is another example of how government interests and the wants of the meat industry are time and time again taking precedence over this country’s wildlife living on public lands. The best way to take action is to take the power away from these industries by choosing not to support them with your dietary choices and adopt a vegan lifestyle. We’re here to help. Visit our website to learn more and download a free version of our Vegan Starter Guide today. Please also contribute to Friends of Animals to lead principled, energetic wolf advocacy interventions.