For Immediate Release
Oct. 5, 2015
New Mexico should end repulsive killing contests that celebrate killing for killing’s sake. Next coyote killing-contest to be held Oct. 9-11, 2015
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Animal Protection Voters (APV) and Southwest Environmental Center (SWEC) renew calls for a statewide ban on the cruel and dangerous practice of animal-killing contests.
Contests began last month and will continue throughout the fall of 2015 and into winter of 2016. The next killing contest, which promotes and rewards indiscriminate killing of native wildlife, is set for the weekend of October 9, 2015 . Hundreds of lives are on the line if these mass killings are allowed to continue.
New Mexico Desert Dogs, a Las Cruces-based club that regularly holds killing contests of coyotes and other wild animals, announced the 2015 and 2016 events on its public Facebook page in April of this year. In addition to this weekend’s killing contest, one such event occurred in September and four more additional contests have been announced through February 2016.
New Mexico Desert Dogs announce their 2015-2016 killing contests on Facebook.
“Killing animals for fun and prizes is reprehensible and gives ethical hunters a black eye, said Kevin Bixby, executive director of the Southwest Environmental Center. “Unfortunately, these activities are still legal in New Mexico, and put everyone in danger who wants to get outdoors and enjoy our great fall weather.”
In December 2014, nearly 40 coyote carcasses were discovered on public land near Las Cruces. The bodies carried wood blocks with time descriptions, a clear sign that the animals were dumped after being killed in a contest. New Mexico Desert Dogs later claimed responsibility for the event that resulted in the dumped carcasses.
These sport killing contests, such as this one in 2014 where 40 bodies were left to decay on public land, result in needless, mass killings that play no role in wildlife conservation.
Legislation seeking to ban coyote-killing contests for financial and other reward was introduced in the 2015 legislative session with sponsorship from Senator Mark Moores (R-Albuquerque) and Representative Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces). Senate Bill 253, which defines and prohibits coyotes killing contests, passed the Senate with a bipartisan, 27-11 vote but was tabled in its first committee in the House..
“No one is trying to restrict the ability of property owners to kill individual offending coyotes,” Senator Moores said, “but we must be willing to say no to these contests that celebrate cruel and unethical blood sport.”
Representative Steinborn added, “Most New Mexicans do not support the indiscriminate killing of our state’s wildlife. The fact that these contests continue to be held is an embarrassment to all of us, and I will continue to do everything in my power to get legislation passed that will ban them.”
Animal-killing contests, which commonly exploit unprotected species such as coyotes and prairie dogs, occur frequently across New Mexico public lands, including U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and State Trust lands. Contest promoters rarely share with the public the locations where the contestants are shooting firearms. The contests frequently offer prizes of cash or firearms to the contestants who kill the most animals or ones of specific size.
“Indiscriminate killing of animals is not recognized as wildlife management by any serious scientific authority and these contests serve no purpose whatsoever to our state,” said Phil Carter, wildlife campaign manager for APV. “The competitions send the message that life is disposable in New Mexico—it’s beyond time to ban these events that glorify killing for its own sake, and we are grateful to Senator Moores and Representative Steinborn for championing the public’s opposition to this gruesome practice.”
In November 2012, a coyote-killing contest sponsored by Gunhawk Firearms of Los Lunas drew huge amounts of outcry from the public and drew national and international coverage of the competitions in New Mexico.
Changing Laws to Change Lives
Animal Protection Voters (APV) is a 501(c)4 organization which promotes and supports animal-friendly legislation at the local, state and federal levels; builds an effective political voice for animal advocates in New Mexico; and holds New Mexico’s elected officials accountable on animal issues.
For More Information:
APV Contact
Phil Carter, Wildlife Program Manager, APV
Tel: (505) 967-5297
Email: Phil@apvnm.org
SWEC Contact
Kevin Bixby, Executive Director
Tel: (575) 522-5552
Email: kevin@wildmesquite.org
