Photo Credit: Sherri Holdridge
On the morning of June 26th, 2024 wildlife advocates and compassionate members of the public gathered on Capitol Hill for “A CRY FOR THE WILD”, a day of events aimed to inspire awareness and drive change against the senseless torture and killing of wolves and other wildlife.
After photographs depicting the brutal torture and eventual death of a young wolf pup at the hands of Cody Roberts in a Wyoming bar sparked international outrage on social media, those who care deeply about the treatment of wildlife knew they had to speak out on behalf of the voiceless creatures who cannot defend themselves.
The Wild Beauty Foundation, in cooperation with over a dozen leading wildlife protection groups, including from Western Watersheds Project, Sierra Club, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, Endangered Species Coalition, Wolves of the Rockies, Wolf Connection, and Wyoming Untrapped, united to advocate for better protection of American wolves. As it stands, several states in the western U.S.,have little to no regulations to prevent their maiming or killing. This must change, which is why we are raising our voices to help.
Ashley Avis, Founder, The Wild Beauty Foundation | Photo by Sherri Holdridge
WBF and numerous other groups who gathered on Capitol Hill last month disagree with these legislations and urge lawmakers to relist the gray wolf on the Endangered Species Act and make the the torture and killing of wolves and wildlife punishable by law.
Photo Credit: Sherri Holdridge
Photo Credit: Sherri Holdridge
During the rally, around 100 members of the public gathered in front of the nation’s capitol to protest our country’s current inadequate legislation regarding the protection of wolves. Many held handmade signs and posters or passed out flyers to those interested in learning more about the cause.
Jonas Black | Photo by Sherri Holdridge
In addition to the organizations in attendance, world renowned dog-trainer and influencer, Jonas Black joined us from Texas and gave an impassioned speech.
Josselyn Wolf | Photo by Sherri Holdridge
Several young advocates gave passionate talks at the rally, igniting the flame within everyone to fight for the protection of these beautiful animals.
Erik Molvar, Western Watersheds Project | Photo by Sherri Holdridge
Following the rally, WBF and dedicated advocates met privately with Members of Congress to discuss future protection laws and regulations that can be implemented in order to prevent senseless killing of wildlife. By meeting with the members of congress directly, critical conversations were able to be held about why protecting wolves is important to our ecosystems as well as the benefits of prioritizing their conservation.
A CRY FOR THE WILD brought animal advocates from across the country together to rally for legislative reform in wildlife protection. Without people willing to use their voices for good, our wild world would quickly disintegrate, taking important keystone species like the American wolf down with it. We at The Wild Beauty Foundation are proud to have had the opportunity to host such an impactful event and are grateful for those who were able to join us in D.C. Thank you for standing with wolves and wildlife.
