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Support D.C. Proposal to Stop Cruel Wildlife Control
  1. Signatures
    513 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. Chairman, DC City Council (+ 11 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Chairman, DC City Council (Vince Gray)
      • Councilmember (At-Large) (David Catania)
      • Councilmember (At-Large) (Phil Mendelson)
      • Councilmember (At-Large) (Michael Brown)
      • Councilmember (Ward 1) (Jim Graham)
      • Councilmember (Ward 2) (Jack Evans)
      • Councilmember (Ward 3) (Mary M. Cheh)
      • Councilmember (Ward 4) (Muriel Bowser)
      • Councilmember (Ward 5) (Harry Thomas, Jr.)
      • Councilmember (Ward 6) (Tommy Wells)
      • Councilmember (Ward 7) (Yvette M. Alexander)
      • Councilmember (Ward 8) (Marion Barry)
  2. Created By
    Stephanie Feldstein
    Ypsilanti, MI
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Nov 09, 2010

The Washington, D.C. City Council unanimously voted in favor of the Wildlife Protection Act, which will prohibit some of the cruelest methods of trapping and killing wildlife and will require all wildlife operators to be licensed and trained. 

This humane law is a model for the rest of the country of how we can co-exist with urban wildlife. Thanks to the hundreds of Change.org community members who spoke up on behalf of wildlife!

Update 11/09/10: The Washington D.C. City Council unanimously voted to send the Wildlife Protection Act to the Mayor's desk. The new law is expected to go into effect sometime next year. The Washington Humane Society praised the bill, saying it will have benefits for people and wildlife alike: "Properly trained and licensed trappers will provide District residents with better customer service, our wildlife will not suffer unnecessary cruelty, and the legislation will protect family pets from being injured or killed in body-crushing traps that are currently permitted in the District."

Thanks for speaking out for wildlife!

Washington, D.C. City Council is considering a bill that would give urban wildlife some of the strongest protections in the country.

The Wildlife Protection Act, sponsored by Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, would prevent wildlife control and "pest management" companies and officials from:

- using lethal methods when there are non-lethal alternatives and no imminent public threat 

- selling or trading wildlife or wildlife products

- indiscriminately trapping animals or setting traps in a way that will harm the animals

- using glue traps, legholds, snares or harpoon-type traps

- poisoning birds

While homeowners and property managers aren't included in the legislation, Cheh hopes this will send a strong message that people can co-exist with urban wildlife. "We want to take action but we don't have to be cruel," she says.

The proposal unanimously passed its first reading, but it needs to pass another vote and the National Pest Management Association doesn't want to see that happen. Let the D.C. City Council know that you support humane wildlife control.

Photo credit: DrBacchus

Recent Signatures

Please Pass the Wildlife Protection Act

Dear D.C. Councilmembers

I was pleased to learn that the council unanimously approved a humane bill to regulate wildlife control operators at its first reading. I urge you to continue to support this measure and pass it into law.

People and wildlife can peacefully co-exist, and control methods such as poisoning, glue traps and snares are unnecessary and cruel. Many of these widely-used methods pose a risk to non-target species, pets and children, too.

I applaud your progressive and compassionate measures to protect wildlife and promote co-existence. With this bill, D.C. can set the standard for the nation in urban wildlife control. Please continue to vote in favor of the humane treatment of wildlife.

Thank you for this important piece of legislation.

[Your name]

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