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Help Stop the Cruel Killing of Coyotes and Foxes in Indiana
  1. Signatures
    369 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. Indiana NRC (Indiana Natural Resources Commission)
  2. Created By
    Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary
About this Petition Petition Letter
Why This Is Important

From the Animal Welfare Institute:

On November 17th, the Indiana Natural Resources Commission will consider several formal petitions to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for “penning” purposes.

Current loopholes in Indiana’s wildlife regulations allow the capture and killing of coyotes and red foxes by dogs. Moreover, no rule or law exists prohibiting the trapping and selling of coyotes and foxes in state or across state lines to “penning” facilities where these wild canines are then used to “train” hunting dogs in “running pens;” this practice is allowed for five months of the year during the furbearer trapping season. Operators of the running pens often charge a fee for individuals to “train” their hunting dogs on the captive coyotes and foxes. This practice — commonly referred to as “’penning” — violates the concept of “fair chase” and runs counter to fundamental concepts of wildlife management. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has acknowledged that there are ecological, ethical, and disease/health related issues associated with penning.

Your voice is needed! Please write a letter to the Commission urging them to support these petitions to move forward with the rulemaking process to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for “penning” purposes. LETTERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 17TH!

If you are able, please consider attending and testifying at the Commission hearing on November 17th where it will decide whether to move forward to preliminarily adopt these petitions and proceed with formal rulemaking procedures. We need a good showing at this hearing! Hearing details are:

Date: November 17
Time: 10am (EST)
Place: North Ball Room, Kendall Inn/Fort Harrison State Park Inn, 5830 North Post Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 
More information: (agenda to be posted by Nov. 6th): www.in.gov./nrc/2350.htm 

Should you choose to write a personal letter instead, it should be addressed as follows:
Indiana Natural Resources Commission
Indiana Government Center North
100 N. Senate Ave., Rm N501
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2200

 

Photo Credit: Mike Baird

Recent Signatures

RE: Support for proposed rules to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red fox

Dear Representative

Dear Commission members:

As a concerned citizen who values wildlife, I strongly support the proposals to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for “penning” purposes and strongly urge you to move forward with this formal rulemaking process to end this brutal practice.

Capturing, transporting, marketing, and penning wild animals for dog training is inherently cruel and should be banned for this reason alone. Pitting domestic canines against their wild cousins is ethically indefensible. Legislators have had the wisdom to ban dog and cock-fighting – largely on ethical grounds – and “penning” parallels these abhorrent practices. Penned wild coyotes and foxes are often mutilated in a cruel and unconscionable way- as acknowledged by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Marketing and transporting live wild coyotes and foxes for penning purposes is ecologically reckless. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has explicitly stated these concerns, acknowledging that trade and transportation of wildlife is one of the primary contributors to disease transmission and historically has led to the spread of rabies and other diseases dangerous to wildlife, domestic animals and people.

Coyote and fox penning is not an effective method of coyote and fox control as acknowledged by numerous, prominent scientists and wildlife biologists. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that penning operations somehow help reduce coyote/fox populations on a state-wide level or mitigate negative encounters with coyotes or foxes. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has acknowledged that there are ecological, ethical, and disease and health related issues associated with penning. Moreover, the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies passed a resolution in 2008 urging the adoption of state-by-state regulations prohibiting the importation or interstate movement of foxes and coyotes for the purpose of stocking coursing pens or for release and pursuit by hounds outside of coursing pens.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your name]