RIVERTON—From her home in the South Carolina countryside town of Six Mile, Lorraine Finazzo typically spends her weekdays managing construction projects for a New York City real estate developer.
Because of an incident involving a Wyoming wolf over 1,500 miles away, her productivity has waned of late.
“I’m at the computer crying everyday,” Finazzo said from the lobby of the Holiday Inn in Riverton. “I’m supposed to be working remotely and instead I’m like, ‘Oh my God there’s another video.’”
“I don’t know why I feel this way,” she added. “Helpless animal. It’s just wrong.”
The now infamous incident — that Daniel resident Cody Roberts ran down a subadult wolf on a snowmobile, muzzled the wounded animal and then showed it off at the bar before killing it — struck such a nerve with Finazzo that she resolved to travel all the way to Wyoming to share her views with the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Her husband, Russell, and daughter, Nicole, came along for the odd vacation to the Wind River Valley.
Finazzo had never done anything like this. She barely slept Tuesday night, and leading up to taking the mic, she was nervous. But Finazzo’s voice held firm a couple hours after talking with WyoFile, when she got the chance to share her views with the seven-person body that oversees Wyoming’s wildlife. She took aim at how Roberts acquired the wolf: He told Game and Fish wardens who investigated that he ran it over with a snowmobile until it was so injured it could barely stay conscious — a fully legal practice in Wyoming.
“Knowing that the state permits snowmobiles to run over animals as a wildlife management tool is appalling,” Finazzo told commissioners. “I urge you to take the necessary steps to outlaw this barbaric practice, which only appeals to a small extreme minority in the state.”
Wave of outrage
Finazzo’s voice was one of dozens that Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners heard Wednesday. Garnering headlines in national publications and even overseas tabloids, the wolf torture allegations have generated international outrage, creating a public relations nightmare for the state of Wyoming. Not a single person who spoke condoned Roberts’ actions, which to date have been punished only with a $250 fine for illegal possession of warm-blooded wildlife. Many people didn’t get the chance to say their part: At the onset of Wednesday’s meeting, the commission agreed to end public comment at the two-hour mark.
Commissioners, for the most part, did not weigh in responding to commenters. At the onset of the two-day meeting, they OK’d an official statement. That statement asserted that Wyoming is the “gold standard in wildlife management,” and it declared the Game and Fish Department acted with “transparency” in an incident that went unpublicized for over a month — until KHOL Jackson Hole Community Radio was tipped off and broke the story.
After hearing two hours of public comment, Game and Fish Commission President Richard Ladwig shared his views. The Air Force veteran from Niobrara County expressed frustration with the level of interest in the wolf torture incident relative to other atrocities that have occurred in Wyoming in recent weeks.
“I can’t believe there wasn’t more uproar with the 14-year-old boy that was stabbed to death in front of the mall in Casper, Wyoming, by two other teenagers,” Ladwig said. “That’s just as bad or worse than killing a wolf, and I don’t believe that there’s been the outrage that we’ve seen over this [wolf] with that situation.”
Much of the condemnation for what Roberts did at the Green River Bar has been less than civil. “A lot of our folks answering phones had to hear some extremely vulgar language,” Game and Fish Chief Warden Rick King told WyoFile.
There were also threats from folks upset about the wolf’s treatment that led Game and Fish to request a big law enforcement presence at the Riverton meeting. Uniformed and plain-clothed cops were everywhere around the Holiday Inn.
“We were concerned, given the global attention that this had, and the passion and angst that was out there,” King said. “We wanted to make sure that everybody coming here today was safe.”
Desire for change
Commissioners took no formal action before the meeting adjourned. But Ralph Brokaw, a rancher from Arlington, said he was “anxious” for the commission to do something.
“But we have to have deference,” Brokaw said. “We have to have deference to the governor, and the leadership that he’s surrounded himself with.”
“I would just assure people,” he said, “that we’re going to find a path forward.”
Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik told the room that he was meeting with Gov. Mark Gordon, state legislators and “agriculture folks” later on Wednesday to discuss the incident. There was no clear outcome to that meeting, which Michael Pearlman, a spokesman for the governor, called “informal.”
“It was a discussion about what happened and … a general conversation about wolf management,” Pearlman said. “They’re not working on an actionable item or an agenda or anything like that, these are just conversations.”
So what’s the path for reform? Advocacy groups and engaged citizens have called for multiple changes, a couple of often-repeated policy steps being a prohibition on running over animals with snowmobiles and adjustments to Wyoming’s animal cruelty statutes to more explicitly include species classified as predators, like coyotes, red fox and wolves in 85% of Wyoming.
Jessi Johnson, a longtime lobbyist for the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, pointed out that many of the reforms being called for are outside the authority of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Yet, on Wednesday that was the body that was the sounding board for the disgust and calls for change.
“People go and burn a lot of energy. They travel, spend money to be here and express a lot of emotion and feelings,” Johnson said. “But it’s [being told] to an entity that often can’t do anything because they are statutorily handcuffed by the Legislature.”
There are two legislative committees particularly equipped to execute reform, Johnson said. The Agriculture Committee is one, because that’s the body that deals with predatory animal statutes. The Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee is the other, because its members oversee a lot of the wildlife statutes.
There are indications that those legislative committees will at least take a look at changing the law because of what happened to the wolf in Sublette County.
Nesvik, the Game and Fish director, is scheduled to update the Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee on wolf management at its May 14-15 meeting in Cody. There’s not yet an agenda for the Agriculture Committee’s next meeting, planned for June 6-7 in Rock Springs.
One lawmaker who happens to sit on both committees attended the commission meeting in Riverton. Rep. John Winter (R-Thermopolis), a retired outfitter, is no fan of Canis lupus — he believes “the wolf is an illegal animal in the state of Wyoming” — but he also foresees lasting changes as a result of what happened to one particular wolf.
“I’m sure there will be [changes],” Winter told WyoFile. “There’ll be something with snowmachines. Right now I’m not willing to get too involved in it, but when the time comes I’ll say my piece.”
“There’s a lot of hoopla and a lot of feelings going around right now,” he added, “and it’s not really time to make decisions.”
Some wildlife activists say they’re committed to harnessing the intense interest in an abused Wyoming wolf, and using it to see through that statute changes.
“This is it,” said Lisa Robertson, a Jackson Hole resident who’s long sought trapping reform and to ban the practice of running down coyotes with snowmobiles. “It’s all coming together, and there’s no way it’s going to be dropped, period.”
Johnson, with the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, is skeptical. She’s seen how viral incidents and white-hot demand for reform have shaken out before.
“Unfortunately, I think what we’re going to see is a lot of emotion here [at the Game and Fish Commission meeting],” she said. “But I don’t know if we’re going to see it translate to the [Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee] meeting in Cody in May or the Agriculture Committee meeting in Rock Springs in June.”
Johnson’s been a lobbyist in Wyoming for nearly a decade. And during all that time, she’s observed notably fewer people attending legislative committee meetings, she said. Whether the current outrage over a tormented wolf changes that trend remains to be seen.
People that compete for the land with wildlife have a legitimate argument. Does this mean that they be allowed to run over and torture helpless young animals? This was a spiteful act of selfishness and disrespect for nature by Roberts. The $250 fine and all the attention and press just encourages more of this immature disrespectfull behavior. This is not 1800 it is 2025. The land and resources are dwindling, should we continue to allow these grotesque acts of violence and pure disregard for nature and wildlife? I personally would love to see wolves in the wild. It is the way it should be.We are taking so much for granted when we have total disregard for the natural world, maybe we don’t deserve to have trees, woods, wild animals and nature. So let the person off easy and travel back in time when all of our resources seemed (but were not) endless. It’s a shame what the Fish and Game people are doing! They don’t seem to realize how our resources are going away!!!
I think that he should be run over with a snow mobile and have his mouth taped shut.
I understand it’s legal but was it ethical or moral. What kind of person does that.
I’m glad there is movement on remedying this issue, it is just a shame that it took KHOL to break the story to bring light to it. I disagree with Rep. John Winter, in that, I believe that you strike while the iron is hot. This irreprehensible attitude toward the wolf is unacceptable to any humane standards.
Legislation must change. Amendments and new rules must be passed. Period. Use of snowmobile to cripple wildlife; transport of live predators in personal vehicles and recreational vehicles; dispatching of predators at locations other than the locations where it was initially apprehended; torture of wildlife for amusement and entertainment; transport of live wildlife to residences and social gatherings; use of shock collar on wildlife; dispatching wildlife with instruments other than traps and firearms; charges for bystanders that knowingly participate in the torture of wildlife. This list is by no means all inclusive. A $250 fine for possession of a live wolf is woefully insufficient to keep this from ever happening again. Wyoming should not be a destination for tourism and does not deserve our hard-earned money until legislation changes. Period.
Why would you muzzle a wolf and bring it into a bar and then later on, kill it?? I do not believe we should have ever brought these dangerous animals back into the lower 48 states and Iam not opposed to killing them either! But to treat this animal in this way is indeed inhumane! If you were going to kill it, why didn’t you just shoot it and be done with it, I see no reason to run it down with a snow machine either, seems the epitome of being lazy to me! All you have managed to do is bring a bunch of heat down on the state and onto other ethical sportsmen in this great state! Good Job, Cody Roberts, you are a smart one for sure!!!
This is outrageous! A small fine is not enough of a punishment. That poor wolf !
We need to organize if there are groups already I’m ready to join if I need to help start one of the groups I’m ready if people need help planning protests boycotts or getting legislation passed I can help remember a citizen is allowed to place charges and tickets and lawsuits on an individual it doesn’t have to be a government prosecter I can help with this please contact me anyone who wants to get things to punish Cody and also get other doing hideous criminal acts against animals
This was a reprehensible, heinous & cowardice act and this man must be held properly accountable!! The laws have been in need of a change for years and we must fight to get that to happen! All wolf hunting and cruel trapping needs to be banned federally because when individual states are given authority this is the kind of thing that happens! Wolves should be returned to the Endangered Species Act over this! Let’s don’t let her suffer and die in vain! Be her voice!!
Just because an animal is a predator doesn’t mean it deserves to be tortured to death. What is it about these people that they can’t understand that and they find the global attention annoying. The rest of us care very much and we want something done so this is never repeated.
I can’t imagine the fear in this more animal. What if it had cubs. The whole ecosystem depends on balance of nature. This is lowering our humanity to monsters. The first sign of a serial killer is cruelty to animals. I wouldn’t trust this excuse for a human.
“Nesvik, the Game and Fish director, is scheduled to update the Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee on wolf management at its May 14-15 meeting in Cody.” I suggest we flood Nesvik and the committee members with calls and emails requesting legislative change immediately regarding whacking, predator zones, and the exemption of wolves from animal cruelty laws. I can post all their info here if allowed. The point is that this is no longer a Wyoming issue; it is an American issue. #CowardCody and the flaccid response of local government to his atrocities has shamed American before the world. I have friends in Europe asking whether the sociopathic torture of animals is an American thing; others who planned to go to Jackson Hole this summer have canceled their trip because they’re sickened by the word “Wyoming” now. They were excited to see the beautiful and fascinating wolves in the wild; it’s what they admired Wyoming for. Now they look down on Wyoming as a state full of cowards and psychopaths. Whether that’s fair or not, it is affecting all of us, and since the Wyoming legislative bodies have clearly failed to do their jobs and thereby created this disgust before the whole world, they need to grow a pair and step up now to do what’s right.
People from all over the country should contact everyone from the Governor on down including the Wyoming office of Tourism and let them know they don’t want to spend money in states that allow animal torture. Also consumers should demand that if they buy meat they don’t want it from states that torture animals. Public land should be for the public and wildlife, not for cattle and trappers that also torture animals. We need to file more lawsuits, the majority of Americans love animals and don’t want them tortured. Conservation groups need to buy land and lease public land for wildlife, individuals need to start buying land and protecting it.
No. Real change won’t happen in Wyoming. Having been raised there and lived there for 30 years, this is clear. Boycotting travel to Wyoming does little to change the laws. The predator rules and ability to run down wildlife with a vengeance all comes back to Wyoming Stock Growers.
Unless there is a large scale boycott of Wyoming beef, don’t expect a rancher to vote to change these laws. Livestock in Wyoming has the political power. And they are responsible for this attitude towards wildlife. Unless they are forced to grow up and become basic decent humans, nothing will change.
Tourism and others in Wyoming will argue that this act doesn’t reflect Wyoming values. Yet, drive through any town in Wyoming and witness bumper stickers everywhere that are not only anti wolf, but encourage people to kill wolves. This act is entirely reflective of the attitude regarding predators, and wolves in specific, of Wyoming people. There’s a reason this man is so cavalier about his measly 250 dollar punishment. There’s a reason he will joke it off. He’ll be glad handed through the state and back slapped. Yes, many Wyoming people are outraged by this. But just as many or more, are laughing about this. I’m from a small town in Wyoming. I know that for a fact.
This act is a natural and expected result of the vicious hatred shared by Wyoming people towards wolves.
Then we will boycott Wyoming beef. Easy.
Don’t be negative things have to change
Boycott away. It’s a misnomer that wyoming produces any substantial amount of beef. Think it’s 2-3%?
Wyoming is a welfare ranching state. What little livestock comes out of here is so heavily subsidized that ranching here costs taxpayers more money than the benefit it claims to provide.
It may be only 3% of the national total but it is a 1.3 billion dollar industry in this welfare state.
If we bankrupt Wyoming cattle industry, we bankrupt Wyoming.
And it would be as easy as creating wolf safe beef labels ( just like dolphin safe tuna labels.)
All of the ranchers in the South would automatically qualify for the labels because they don’t have wolves. We would be funneling money from the wolf haters to the other ranchers.
Sure there’s lots of hunting and lots to eat, but winter’s going to be cold when everybody’s power gets shut off because they couldn’t pay their bills. The corrupt government is going to pull their heads out of their butts when they can’t fund their police forces, their fire departments their food stamp and welfare programs.
Wolf save beef- this is the way to do it
Boycott all products from Wyoming set up protest at governments offices governed state ag state legislature plus contact federal government interior department forest serviceand park s call and email every hotel motel and lodge within 20 miles of this bar and his business address
For me, it boils down to this: ANY act of intentional cruelty to any living, sentient being is just plain wrong. Period. It seems that certain groups in Wyoming have long abandoned this principle, and hopefull this wolf torture/slaughter incident will trigger their consciences a little, at least those who still have any. In the case of appalling cruelty, such as that inflicted on this yearling wolf, I would hope the State of Wyoming would be good enough to hand down a MEANINGFUL sentence, which would have to include incarceration. Otherwise, I would have to view Wyoming as a State without a conscience. I’ve always wanted to visit your beautiful State one day, but I will not be doing so until I see a clear improvement in its attitude toward its magnificent wildlife. Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
If anyone is out of state and is planning or has in place actions to be taken please contact me I have experience in getting legislation passed in communities cities states and federal government I can help organize phone banks and protests to and at government officials any state your in if you upset and want ideas let me help u or your group
I can’t believe there wasn’t more uproar with the 14-year-old boy that was stabbed to death in front of the mall in Casper, Wyoming, by two other teenagers,” Ladwig said. “That’s just as bad or worse than killing a wolf, and I don’t believe that there’s been the outrage that we’ve seen over this [wolf] with that situation.” Really? This is shameful, coming from Ladwig, and is a perfect example of “grief comparison,” akin to the Blue Lives Matter comments that were circulating when Black Lives Matter began protesting what had happened to George Floyd. It’s sickening, and it attempts to denigrate the person who is empathizing with the wolf by making it sound as if they really should be empathizing with the 14-year-old instead because he’s a human and therefore, more worthy of our moral outrage. As a grief counselor, I can tell you that this is despicable, and this man should be ashamed of himself, but his comments are typical of what you’re going to hear coming out of Wyoming. This is their mentality and how they perceive the world around them. It’s going to take not only a village, but the entire world to change their minds, but hopefully, enough of us will keep up the pressure so that people like Cody Roberts and his ilk will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But that won’t be the end of it. The laws in Wyoming must be changed, and I whole heartedly agree with the federal government taking over wolf management in this state. Ignorance and evil go hand in hand, and Wyoming is a perfect example of both, it’s sad to say. And since fewer people are attending legislative committee hearings, as the article states, what’s the point? Is anything ever going to change in this state?
There are laws and punishment in Wyoming for people that commit murder.
Agreed. We need to keep preservering until there is change.
I’ve been watching this from my home in Idaho where wolves have decimated our elk population. I wish that “real life” education were required before commenting. A wolf will take down an elk or deer, tear out the entrails and leave it to suffer. Virtually killing for sport and leaving his prey to suffer. Need photos? They are not native Timberwolves. They do to others exactly what you are outraged this person did to them. Both are cruel, unnecessary and a result of the ridiculous introduction of non native wolves to our ecosystem. This should never have happened.
Funny thing: elk and wolves coexisted for a long, long time. Your “sample size” is a bit too small…
Ms Philp. It is my belief that our ecosystem could exist in natural balance if mankind would stop screwing with it. We vilify the wolf because it either 1) preys on domestic livestock or 2) preys on “game” animals. Both of which are highly prized by humans. What about the 219 Elk calves that died at or around the Horse Creek Elk feeding grounds from hoof rot. That was approximately 45% of that years calve production for that “game” herd. Who manages the feed ground? WYO G&F, the same group of individuals who are charged with the welfare of our wildlife. Do you see where I’m coming from? I often wonder how our landscape would look if mankind had not eradicated the Bison, Wolves, Beaver, etc…decades ago. There is a natural cycle to life. There are predators and prey. Mankind is the biggest predator of them all.
According to preeminent wolf biologist, Doug Smith, the notion that wolves kill for sport is fiction. On rare occasions they will overkill, but left alone will feed on these animals for weeks, consuming all of them. There is one species of Gray Wolf in North America. Subspecies designation only indicates historical geographic locations, not genetic differences.
Please protest this crime contact government officials and media federal state locali will help anyone or group to make sure Cody gets punishment
Nothing will change. Wyoming is a good old boy state…take a look at that commitee a bunch of good old boys who look after their own.
Animals are innocent. They don’t have a voice. Wyoming sure sucks now
People are raising good points. Why is it easier to feel rage about the mistreatment of a helpless wolf than to mourn the murder of a young boy? And why have we so easily forgotten the gay man, Matthew Shepherd, who was tird to a fence, pistol whipped and left to die in Laramie , bringing heaps of shame? ( When i first moved to Colorado that was the only thing people i met knew about Wyoming). My hair stylist asked after finding out that i came from Laramie, “Is that where they killed that boy for being who he was?” And today i will go to the annual vigil for the victims of The Columbine massacre here in Colorado. .Our horror about the tortured wolf is a good way to deflect our feelings about brutalities that dont happen only in Wyoming. The woman from Carolina should focus on terriblevevents in her own state– starting with slavery..
That’s a good way to get off topic of this tortured wolf. Talk about something else so it makes the reader feel guilt and shame for standing up for animal rights. People of all ages die for many reasons and there are laws in place for that. We’re not talking about people right now we are talking about animal rights and action need to be taken!! Your point is pointless. These good ole boys in Wyoming could give a crap about that wolf and that includes the fish and game organization
Great response, Sharon. I don’t know why people choose to deflect as Vicki Lindner has. Why assume that those who choose to advocate for wildlife or other animals are lacking in compassion for human tragedies? The bottom line here is that we already have significant laws for humans.
Court rooms were designed for it. Not so or even close with animals. Last I knew, “hunters” would not be permitted to run down other humans with machines or torment them in unimaginably cruel ways WITHOUT SERIOUS PENALTY!
We may never completely stop cruelty to any animal species but we sure as heck are never going to stop trying to get significant legal protections AND stringent penalties into the law books.
Pointing out that Wyoming,and many other places, have a history of cruelty is not deflecting. My vegan friend woukd say that if you eat meat you are practicing animal cruelty. (Do you? )The wolf incident of course is horrendous especially in a state .that advertises wolf watching to potential tourists.
Exactly! Caring about an8mals doesn’t mean you don’t care about people. I’m so sick of that ridiculous deflection.
There are laws in Wyoming to punish people that commit murder.
Does this really require explaining? There are clear laws against murder; it is illegal 100% of the time all over the world. The reason why this wolf, along with other animal cruelty cases, causes an uproar is because it’s allowed to happen. There are very few laws protecting the rights of animals, and the ones in place are not always enforced. You are comparing apples to oranges. People have a voice and the ability to speak about what happened and seek justice. Animals have no voice; we are their voice, and we have to fight to see that they are protected and not tortured. Does that answer your question, Vicki? No one forgets the tragedies that happen to people, but it has nothing to do with this at all.
May I ask about the follow-up news to the report about the killing of a boy by two teenagers who posted a video record of the incident the same day as the killing of the wolf incident appeared?
I am very concerned about the fate of wolves in Wyoming, and closely follow efforts to protect them.
I absolutely abhor the actions of the deviant who killed a wolf in such heinous manner.
BUT… where is the human concern for the random killing of people by other people?!? We receive almost daily news reports of the killing of humans by other humans. In most cases, there is minimal follow-up in the news, and very little outrage by other humans.
When and how will this reckless action of killing people and animals be brought to a stop?
The two teenagers who killed the 14yo were raised by Wyoming parents. Seems like a theme in Wyoming.
Symptomatic of a state where the smart kids leave as soon as they can!
Talk to most Wyoming sportsman and sportswoman and they’ll tell you that the leadership of the Game and Fish Dept under Director Nesvik has been hideous, at best. Head Game Warden Rick King is not any better. Now you have another “leader”, Commission Pres. Ladwig trying to duck the wolf subject by bringing the unfortunate murder of the Casper youth into play at a Game and Fish meeting. Another “leader” of Game and Fish (Ladwig)to prove all of the Game and Fish naysayers correct. The citizens of Wyoming as well as the thousands of other non residents deserve and want better then this current crop of issue dodgers. The silence regarding the Cody Roberts issue from the other Commissioners says volumes, too. If you can’t or wont lead, get out.
I totally disagree. Director Nesvik’s tenure has been a welcome relief from the problems Game and Fish used to have – at one time Game and Fish had 4 directors in about 2 years of duration – that was when wolves and grizzlies were so contentious. I for one applaud the steady helm he has provided. And, Richard Ladwig is extremely well thought of – his years of military service and leadership as a Niobrara County commissioner has been invaluable – I respect his wisdom and extensive experiences in the real world – Richard is a true proven leader and has my full support.
Yep, Lee Campbell, that must explain the low morale of G & F employees…the empty positions left unfilled due to the poor reputation of G & F leadership….a no confidence vote from the hunters and fisherman of Wyoming. Let’s be honest, the Wyoming G & F’s priorities are: large landowners (think Fred Eshelman), the Ag industry and Outfitters, all being paid for by the residents. Ya, Lee, as you put it “true proven leaders”
I agree Lee Campbell. Wyoming Game and Fish manages our state’s wildlife very well, that’s why every hunter/fisher in the country wants to come to Wyoming. And when they get the chance to draw a tag they are willing to pay 20x what residents pay. So, Jeff Martin and Scott Pogue, you are welcome to your opinion but why don’t you move out of Wyoming to where ever you seem to think is better or actually do something constructive.. oh but that would take actual work. Spectators become critics.
The ability to legally run down an animal speaks volumes about the Wyoming hunting culture and the people who regulate hunting in this state. Of course labeling the animal “predatory” somehow makes it ok. Cruelty has no place in a civil society.
No matter if you love or hate a species, cruelty is unjustified. I was surprised and horrified to learn that in Wyoming animal cruelty explicitly exempts predatory animals. So you can run over an animal such as a wolf or coyote with a snowmobile, you can torture it, and it isn’t a punishable crime. This is unacceptable, and laws allowing this type of behavior should be changed. This is going to be a black mark on Wyoming by anyone who respects humane behavior for all living creatures. And it should be. I am just sickened by this.
Cody Roberts has caused so many problems within the state, Cody Roberts has demonstrated the worst in behavior in the state. Cody’s actions cannot be condoned for the handling of the wolf. Even a non resident came to the state to testify on her emotions. It will be interesting to see if she returns to make statements for the boy stabbed and killed in Casper. Wyoming has many other horrible crimes being committed without outrage being demonstrated. Is Cody Roberts a fit role model to raise his children and instill moral values? One can only speculate. Cody Roberts has done a real disservice to the state and residents, the tortured wolf, Game and Fish, agricultural producers ,Wyoming State government and the threat of losing the ability to manage our predators.
““I can’t believe there wasn’t more uproar with the 14-year-old boy that was stabbed to death in front of the mall in Casper, Wyoming, by two other teenagers,” Ladwig said. “That’s just as bad or worse than killing a wolf, and I don’t believe that there’s been the outrage that we’ve seen over this [wolf] with that situation.”” Said President of WYO game and Fish Commission. The problem is that there was and is outrage about the teen murder and it continues. Also the police caught the suspects and they are charged with murder. The issue with the wolf is not so much about its killing as it is with the cruelty and the photographing and video of the cruelty which Wyoming law seems not to be able to address adequately. Social media has warped society but that genie is already out of the bottle. Former Pres.Trump signed a new federal animal cruelty bill into law to try to stop such videos. Sadly people who are cruel to ANY animal are broken inside. Maybe the Game and Fish Commision and the legislatutre can help foster better animal ethics going forward. It also starts with school age children. When I was in school the local Wyo Game and Fish wardens would visit our classes and teach about wildlife and what a precious resource they are. I do not know if that still goes on, but if not, it should. Most people in Wyoming treasure our wildlife and act responsibley but social media may be changing things for the worse. instead of deflecting–the Wyoming Game and Fish leaders can help make it better.
I was thinking the same thing. Also, timeframe the teen killing happened just last week, this issue with the wolf has been building for a month or more. And yes we can be outraged and upset at a senseless killing of a young person and the killing of a wolf. As you pointed out it’s not that we aren’t upset a young kid was killed, we are, but there are laws in place to deal with that and deal with it properly. This is not the case in the torture of the wolf.
Folks have been complaining, begging, petitioning for an end of violence to our young people, whether it’s knives or, yes guns, for decades, to no avail. The wolf incident pertained to a grown man, a family man, Cody Roberts, dragging out the death of an injured wolf, putting it on display. “Harvested” by a means that no ethical hunter would accept, in a state that prides itself as the “gold standard for wildlife conservation”.
While laws need to be changed to allow much greater penalties if this type of thing happens again, we must be careful. The one thing we don’t need is emotion-led wildlife management, and this is nothing but emotion right now.
Okay, but you would have to acknowledge that the current management of wolves in the state of Wyoming is nothing but “emotion led management”, largely based on lies, minsinformation and irrational hatred of wolves.
Commissioner Ladwig: The killing of a child outside a mall in Casper is a horrific tragedy and my heart goes out to the victim’s friends and family. However, you are the Game and Fish Commission President and you would do well to focus your attention on legal, inhumane treatment of wildlife in Wyoming where there is ample room for reforming laws to stop animal cruelty. Murder is illegal and suspects for the Casper stabbing attack, I believe, are in custody. The high rate of youth incarceration and the paucity of mental health services in Wyoming are issues that are often in the news. I encourage you to advocate for Wyoming’s youth and for more public health services in our state, but don’t use someone else’s tragedy to dodge responsibility.
Nailed it! And i hope Commissioner Ludwig has his ears on. The Casper tragedy was terrible but using that as a crutch to dodge the issue before he and his commission is Lame. Capital L….
I completely agree. It is possible to be mad about more than one thing at a time, and Commissioner Ludwig trying to deflect away from this wolf issue by drawing a false equivalency to the terribly tragic incident in Casper was just silly. No one is making it a competition, of what is more important, a dead wolf, or a dead child, and honestly trying to make that comparison to distract from the issue at hand is offensive and dumb. Focus on the position you were appointed to and let the Casper DA handle the other one.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. The more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Well said, allyncooper. The whole of the civilised world is revolted by what was done to that defenceless animal by Roberts and the clientele of that bar, with the exception of the single person who had the empathy, decency and courage to report what had happened. The spirit of that young female wolf cries out for justice. It is up to every humane-minded person in every country worldwide to do their utmost to ensure that she finds it…
I am OK with giving preference to those creatures that were here before humans. When did we get livestock? How much of our scarce water do they use? 43% here in Colorado. How healthy is beef compared to eating plants? What is the best use of our land and water for people and other creatures? We can continue to avoid these questions for a while but I suspect they will not go away.
My guess is the wolf incident will change some animal abuse laws. As to what degree is anyone’s guess.
I was not an advocate for bring wolves into Wyoming, however no animal should ever be tortured or abused in any manner..
Wolves were only “brought into” Wyoming on account of the fact that they had been completely wiped out by your own ancestors. Prior to this, they had been there for several hundred thousands of years…
I continue being disgusted by the “animal cruelty” demonstrated in this wolf killing – proud of those speaking out against it and angered by those who have power to do something about it simply doing nothing
Commissioner Ludwig is using his statement about violence against people to try to deflect the public’s attention and to minimize the issue of cruelty to animals in this case. We need to keep the spotlight on this topic and support those groups working for change. And stay involved ourselves. Many people are working to improve health and well being for people in Wyoming, but cruelty to animals matters too. It isn’t an “either/or” proposition.
Game and Fish Commission President Richard Ladwig made a very poor comparison of the tragic murder of a 14 year old boy in Casper. Murder is not legal in Wyoming, and the juveniles involved will be tried as adults. The reason for the uproar over this wolf has to do with the fact that it apparently IS legal to run down animals and torture them in Wyoming. That is a major flaw with our state law.
Holy hell President Ladwig: We are all hurting about the young man killed in Casper. At the same time, the discussion today was about Game and Fish and the wolf. Both are horrible things that happened in our state. But one thing doesn’t have to do with the other. What if at the trial of the murder of the boy killed, the judge or lawyers bring up the horrific torture and death of the wolf? They wouldn’t. Thats the point. One has nothing to do with the other. By saying what you said today, you basically dismissed every person that spoke or showed up to address the wolf issue.
Maybe the time has come for the Feds to takeover wolf management in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
Agreed, clearly we are not capable as a state to do this ourselves.
Oh ya, that has worked well for Grizzly Bears! NOT!
It actually has, Chancy, but that’s a sweet use of a 1992 joke. Grizzly bear populations have been recovered (or are on the road to recovery) in the Lower 48 precisely because of federal oversight.
Congress has already passed a law that delisted the wolves in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The feds can do nothing now and the management is in the hands of the states, which it should be. 43 states have a paragraph in their Constitutions that reserve the ownership of all wildlife to the people of that state. Congress approved every Constitution, and makes wildlife management reserved to the states themselves. The feds are overstepping their boundaries and should be reigned in. The manner this wolf was treated goes against everything I believe as a hunter. If you are going to kill and animal you do it as quickly as possible and make it a clean kill. I am not a fan of wolves and have hunted them from Alaska to Wyoming and every kill has been a clean one. If this makes wolf lovers mad then so be it!
Keep the feds out. The actions of one do not represent the many of the State of Wyoming. What this person has done is inexcusable. However, the State of Wyoming have handled wolf management just fine and will continue to do so.
The fact that running down a wolf with a snow machine is legal would seem to undermine your claim that the state has managed wolves “just fine”. Were that the case, Roberts would’ve been hit with more than a $250 fine.
How can you say the State of Wyoming have handled wolf management just fine when there are zero repercussions for clear torture of a sentient creature? Wildlife, in addition to domestic animals, need to be protected from these monsters. When travelling through the states I’ll make sure to go around Wyoming.