Indiana Natural Resources Commission Cracks Down on Wildlife Trafficking to Abusive Coyote Pens

July 16, 2008

The HSUS Calls for a Year-Round Ban on Live Coyote Sales

The Humane Society of the United States welcomed last night's unanimous vote by the Indiana Natural Resources Commission to prohibit the sale of live coyotes trapped in the state to gruesome wildlife pens across the Southeast.

Selling live coyotes will be prohibited during seven months of the year, but will be allowed during the remaining five months — the regular coyote hunting season of October 15 to March 15. The HSUS called on state lawmakers to make the ban year-round, since shipping coyotes across state lines to be torn apart inside pens is unsporting and poses a risk of disease transmission no matter what time of year.

"The Humane Society of the United States applauds the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Commission for moving to protect Indiana wildlife from a brutal end within a captive wildlife pen," said Anne Sterling, Indiana state director for The HSUS. "The legislature should now act to stop the year-round sale of coyotes destined for these abusive enclosures."

The appalling practice of wildlife penning begins when coyotes are caught in the steel jaws of a leghold trap and suffer excruciating pain. The traps can tear flesh, cut tendons and ligaments and break bones. A trapped animal often chews or twists the limb caught in the trap in an effort to escape.

The coyotes are removed from the traps and packed into a cage with other injured animals. A fall 2007 sting operation revealed that coyote trappers in Indiana ship coyotes hundreds of miles in cramped cages with no access to food or water. Some animals die on the trip. Those that survive are bought by wildlife enclosure owners.

In these enclosures, packs of hunting dogs chase the fenced wildlife for scored trials that sometimes last for days. The dogs terrorize and kill many of the coyotes. 

The NRC noted that of the 1,900 comments it received the overwhelming majority were in support of the rule, with many advocating a year-round ban.

Wildlife Pens:

• In its recommendation report, the NRC hearing officer stated that the DNR and commission would be remiss in its duty to protect wildlife if they continued to allow sales of coyotes in a climate that allows a few "to inhumanely treat and indiscriminately allow the torturous killing of coyotes."
• Studies have found that transporting live, wild animals for penning purposes has directly led to the spread of rabies and other devastating diseases dangerous to wildlife, pets and even people.
• Multiple organizations and associations have encouraged regulations against the transporting of wildlife for penning purposes, including the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and American Veterinary Medical Association. Ohio and Kentucky wildlife agencies requested that the Indiana DNR stop live exports of coyotes.

The HSUS works to stop wildlife abuse across the country. Visit humanesociety.org/wildlifeabuse for more information.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.