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Yip, yip, hurray!
I had high hopes, but I was still surprised by the rush of joy that overwhelmed me today when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation outlawing coyote-killing contests in New Mexico.

No longer can coyote carcasses, including pups, be stacked up for prizes and then dumped like so much trash. No longer will this particular human appetite for group violence be legally tolerated. Decency wins; wildlife wins; New Mexico wins!

The governor was under immense pressure from the same forces who have killed this legislation for years. When we asked you to urge the governor to do the right thing, you responded in the greatest numbers of any alert we’ve sent in the past year. Thank you for never giving up!

Coyotes are important native carnivores that do not deserve to be vilified. Yet this will be the only state measure that will offer them any protection. They can still be shot and trapped in unlimited numbers — just not as part of contests. So we still must work to bring the treatment of this species and others into the 21st century and make sure it comports with current scientific findings.

Our chapter trained hundreds of grassroots activists to lobby for this bill and other pro-environment legislation. You responded in record numbers with Roundhouse visits, calls and emails. They couldn’t ignore you. It was pure people power that passed this bill. And it’s people power that will stop cruel trapping on our public lands. I hope you’ll consider contributing to our chapter so we may continue training and educating New Mexicans to engage in and improve our democracy. 

Heartfelt thanks and an enthusiastic yip, yip, hurray!

Mary Katherine Ray
Volunteer chair, Wildlife Team | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter

Yip, yip, hurray!

One thought on “Yip, yip, hurray!

  • April 3, 2019 at 5:08 pm
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    Fantastic! I am very pleased with this news.

    Now let’s work on trapping. Confession-
    I told a trapper something horrible once. I said, “So traps dont hurt you say, let’s put one on your privates to test it out!”

    They are cruel and horrible and our family has has a dog get caught in one on public land. It could have easily have been myself my child that walked into it. I HATE them.

    Thanks for all your work. Together we stand strong as a voice for the voiceless.

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