SCHS Opposes Ballot 83

“At Second Chance Humane Society, our work is grounded in the belief that animals deserve humane treatment, responsible stewardship, and protection from unnecessary suffering. Those principles extend beyond the dogs and cats in our shelters to the broader responsibility we share for the welfare of animals throughout Colorado.

Initiative 83 would amend the Colorado Constitution to establish a right to hunt, fish, and take wildlife, including through “traditional methods.” It also declares that hunting and fishing are the state’s “preferred means of responsibly managing fish and wildlife populations.”

We have two significant concerns. First, the initiative does not define what constitutes a “traditional method.” This ambiguity raises questions about whether the language could be used to challenge existing or future restrictions on particular methods of taking wildlife, including methods that raise serious animal-welfare concerns. Second, enshrining hunting and fishing as the preferred approaches to wildlife management in our Constitution risks elevating those practices above other scientifically appropriate alternatives, including nonlethal approaches.

Although the initiative preserves some authority for state wildlife regulation, we believe its constitutional language could have lasting consequences for wildlife policy and animal protection in Colorado.

Our opposition is consistent with our commitment to humane treatment and thoughtful, science-informed approaches to animal welfare. We recognize that people hold differing views about hunting and fishing; our concern is not simply about those activities themselves, but about the broader implications of this particular constitutional amendment.

In short, our opposition is not to hunting and fishing, but in objecting to weakening the regulations that protect wildlife.  Citizens of Colorado and humane organizations have worked hard over the years to protect our native wildlife.  Those regulations need to remain in place.  Ballot initiative 83 weakens those regulations.”

Nicholas Gilman

Director of Strategy, Development, and Animal Advocacy

exec@adoptmountainpets.org