Wolves are under attack—again. H.R. 845, a bill designed to strip wolves of their protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and block any legal challenges—giving free rein to those who want to kill them, was introduced last year by Lauren Boebert (CO) and Tom Tiffany (WI), and recently passed in The House with a vote of 211-204. It’s now been referred to the Senate (S. 1306).  

We’ve seen the vicious cycle that repeats itself when wolves lose federal protections. In 2021, following a rushed delisting, Wisconsin hunters set out on a bloodbath, wiping out nearly 220 wolves in less than 72 hours. In response to this horrendous mass killing of wolves, a federal judge reinstated protections in 2022.  

We cannot let this reckless cycle repeat itself.  

This is also the second time Boebert has tried to mislead the public with a bill to remove ESA protections for wolves. She introduced a similar bill, ironically named “Trust the Science” Act—ignoring actual science in favor of catering to the meat industry. This bill’s title, the “Pet and Livestock Protection Act”, is designed to instill the same fear through deceiving and incorrect language.  

Here’s the reality check:  

• Even in states with the highest wolf populations, 97.6% of cattle losses in the U.S. have nothing to do with wolves and are linked to old age, disease, and extreme weathering events. 
• Removing wolf protections doesn’t protect companion animals. Wolves avoid humans, and attacks are rare, typically involving off-leash dogs harassing them. 
• Non-lethal deterrents work. Proven coexistence strategies including fencing and improved monitoring reduce conflicts more effectively than killing wolves. 
• Wolves are intelligent, deeply social beings who form strong family bonds. Killing them disrupts family structures, leading to unpredictable behavior and in some cases, increased conflicts with cattle and sheep. 

H.R. 845/S. 1306 is a politically driven attempt to appease ranching and meat industry interests, hiding under the false guise of “protection”.  

Removing federal protections for wolves is ecologically reckless, scientifically unsound, and ethically indefensible.

Take action and tell your U.S. senators to vote NO on S.1306 and protect wolves before it’s too late! You can find your senators here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm