Petition to Oppose the Proposed Rule Change Banning Coyote and Armadillo Rehabilitation in Louisiana

To: The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Commission
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Rule Banning Coyote Rehabilitation

We, wildlife advocates, professionals, and concerned citizens, respectfully urge the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to maintain and protect the right to rehabilitate coyotes under the Wildlife Rehabilitation program. Coyotes are a native canid to North America that have no protections in Louisiana. Coyotes can be hunted 365 days a year, 24-7 day and night, with no bag limits. They can also be sold live to inhumane fox and coyote “hunting preserves” (‘aka pens) to be constantly terrorized in pens by hounds until their death. It is unethical to deny them the basic right to be cared for when injured or sick.

Background

The LDWF has announced its intent to change existing rules to explicitly prohibit the rehabilitation of coyotes in Louisiana by permitted wildlife rehabilitators. This rule change directly threatens wildlife rehabilitators’ ability to provide care for injured, orphaned, or displaced coyotes, animals that play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Why We Oppose This Change

Ecological Importance: Coyotes provide a range of free, natural ecological services in urban and rural settings. Coyotes directly and indirectly help to control disease transmission by keeping rodent populations in check, consume animal carcasses, increase biodiversity, remove sick animals from the gene pool, and help protect crops from rodent damage. 

Ethical Responsibility: Wildlife rehabilitators follow strict protocols to ensure animals are rehabilitated and released in accordance with the law. Denying care to coyotes, wildife that is part of the public trust,  contradicts humane treatment and ethical wildlife management practices.

Public Safety Misconceptions: The coyotes that are admitted into rehabilitation are 99.9% urban and suburban coyotes.  Banning coyote rehabilitation for sick or injured animals (who have been hit by cars, caught in fencing, orphaned due to human disruption to the family unit, and other human-caused reasons) will not help any perceived human-wildlife conflict in urban or suburban areas.  Likewise, banning coyotes from rehabilitation will have no effect on perceived issues with rural coyotes and livestock and other agricultural interests, as this is not the population of coyotes we see coming into rehabilitation.

The proposed coyote rehabilitation ban does nothing to address real community concerns. It’s not a solution nor is it a proactive measure that would help to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.  What actually helps? Education. Outreach. Practical coexistence strategies. That’s what we strive to do through wildlife rehabilitation educational efforts, and what LDWF should support. 

Precedent for Further Restrictions: Targeting one species opens the door for further prohibitions that could jeopardize the integrity of wildlife rehabilitation in Louisiana as a whole.

Our Request

We respectfully ask the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and/or the Legislative Oversight Committee to:

• Reconsider the baseless ban on the rehabilitation of coyotes (and armadillos). Oppose the ban completely or consider a grandfathering in of current wildlife rehabilitators who are currently permitted to rehabilitate coyotes.
• Consult with outside biologists, ecologists, researchers, and non-consumptive wildlife professionals to help make ethical and science-based policy decisions, instead of those that may be misplaced and reactive.  
• Support permitted wildlife rehabilitators who contribute essential services to Louisiana’s wildlife  by listening to their experienced voices, and the concerns of the citizens who support them.

Public Comment is open until October 1, 2025!

Read the full NOI here: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/assets/Resources/Publications/Commission_Action_Items/Wildlife-Rehabilitation-Program-NOI---8-2025.pdf

We need your voice now more than ever. The public must speak up. In addition to signing this petition PLEASE send an email explaining your opposition to the ban on coyote and armadillo rehabilitation to the LDWF commissioners and LDWF officials below:

kevinsag1@bellsouth.net
andy.brister@gmail.com 
hegenereynolds@gmail.com 
nathan@wallsgatorfarm.com 
andrew@pearlbrandseafood.com 
jwalker@mmcre.com 
Bbreland@wlf.la.gov 
tbosworth@wlf.la.gov 
jduguay@wlf.la.gov 
rmyers@wlf.la.gov

For more information on how to keep your pets and property safe and humanely deter foxes and coyotes please visit https://thecanidproject.com