I am a Michigan resident and I am horrified to hear of the proposals being made by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources this Thursday, December 8th, to change the laws surrounding Michigan's wildlife rehabilitation.

These ridiculous proposals SEEK TO:

• ban soft releases, in which animals being released from care are given a chance to learn and adapt to the wild before being fully on their own. This process is necessary for animal survival rates, especially in those raised from infancy, and removing it is counterintuitive to the entire rehabilitation process.
• require rehabbers to get permission to extend care past October 1st for an injured or sick fawn 15 days in advance. This means certain death for any fawns found between September 16-September 30. The hoops that have to be jumped through in order to get permission make it extremely difficult for rehabbers, even with good evidence

Other laws that NEED to be revised include: 

• the forced release or euthanasia of fawns by October 1, regardless of their readiness or health
• the ban of fawn rehabilitation between October 1 and March 1, leaving any injured or orphaned fawns to suffer

These new proposals and current laws are cruel and are not backed by any solid evidence. Michigan is known for its natural beauty and wild animals. We need to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves and protect our state's wildlife.

Please sign and share this petition to show lawmakers that the people of Michigan DO NOT support these changes.