After last season's wholesale destruction of nearly 1,100 bison, the state of Montana has begun to kill Yellowstone bison again. Montana tries to justify this unnecessary slaughter by claiming that bison pose a disease threat to cattle, and unless the bison are removed, the state's brucellosis-free status may be revoked and other states may impose sanctions on Montana's cattle. Not only is the risk of disease transmission virtually non-existent, but the adoption of sensible risk management strategies could eliminate any risk altogether. But rather than adopt such sound science and rational policy, Montana has chosen to allow baseless fears to dictate bison management.
Even more outrageous is that even though most brucellosis experts agree bull bison pose zero risk of transmission, bull bison are the first victims of this year's actions by the Montana Department of Livestock! After the number of bison deaths mounted last season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture assured the state of Montana that it need not kill bull bison and other low risk animals in order to maintain its brucellosis-free status. Despite this assurance, Montana killed hundreds of bull bison and low risk animals last season and its killing machine rolls on today.
To make matters worse, Montana has set up and baited a capture facility on the outside of Yellowstone's west boundary where animals are trapped and tested for exposure to the bacteria. Animals testing positive are sent to slaughterhouses whether or not they are actually infected or infectious. Last year, The Fund for Animals and grassroots activists collected videotape footage which documented serious injuries and death to bison caught and transported to slaughter.
Please write and call the following individuals to express your outrage over the killing of our nation's wildlife.
The Honorable Marc Racicot
Governor of Montana
State Capitol
Helena, MT 59620
Phone: (406) 444-3111
Fax: (406) 444-5529Mr. Laurence Petersen
Montana Board of Livestock
P.O. Box 202001
Helena, MT 59620
Phone: (406) 444-2023
Fax: (406) 444-1929Secretary Dan Glickman
U.S. Department of Agriculture
14th & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone: (202) 720-3631
Fax: (202) 720-2166
You may want to make the following points:
In addition, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper describing what's happening to Yellowstone bison. Encourage people to write Governor Racicot to voice their opposition to the slaughter. Be sure to include the Governor's address in your letter.
For more information, contact The Fund for Animals' Rocky Mountain office at (307) 859-8840 or send us e-mail.