The Home Stretch
Today we met with representatives from the Governor's office to discuss the need to veto the wolf hunt. We sat alongside representatives from a number of organizations: the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; the Minnesota chapter of the Audubon Society; the Sierra Club; the Humane Society; the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; and the Center for Biological Diversity.
Throughout this meeting we spoke to the importance of wolves to Minnesota as not only a necessary and vital natural resource, but also as a significant cultural symbol to the state's residents and tribes. We spoke to the great success story of the wolves in Yellowstone; their impact on the ecological health of our forests and streams; and the high, natural mortality rate and caustic fragility of their population numbers. We also encouraged the Governor to meet with our state's tribal chiefs and said, in no uncertain terms, that stopping the wolf hunt was an absolute necessity in order to safeguard our wolves from decimation.
When all was said and done, it was made clear to us that there were two ways to get the wolf hunt removed from the bill; 1) get a line-item veto from the Governor or 2) have the Governor pull the wolf hunt out of the bill in conference. At this point in time all paths leading to the dissolution of the wolf hunt go straight through Governor Dayton.
Contact the Governor's Office directly and tell Governor Dayton to remove the wolf hunt from the state's Game and Fish bill. This is our last chance to make a real difference and it will only be possible through a strong, unified chorus of voices from everyday citizens. Tell your friends, family and fellow Minnesotans to spread the word and voice their support for our state's wolves.