Pacific Wild is taking British Columbia to court over the methods used by government contractors to kill hundreds of wolves each year.
The B.C.-based non-profit outlined the basis of their case against the infamous wolf cull in a news release issued today (July 22, 2020).
“Using civilian contractors to actively engage in aerial hunting from helicopters violates the Wildlife Act,” said Rebeka Breder, a B.C. lawyer with Breder Law representing Pacific Wild. “Because the government is sanctioning such activities, they are actively engaged in the unlawful killing of wolves and we are calling on the courts to put a stop to this.”
“Additionally, the wolf cull is unconstitutional. As outlined under federal aviation security regulations, it’s completely unlawful to have a loaded firearm and discharge said firearm from an aircraft for the purposes of an aerial cull,” Breder elaborated. “As such, Pacific Wild is arguing that the B.C. government has no authority to allow civilians to conduct such actions and it is asking the court to put an immediate stop to it.”
The cull is a part of efforts by the government to protect specific mountain caribou herds that are endangered; recently, a study has highlighted a fundamental statistical flaw in the paper on which much of the wolf cull policy is based. Our Defender Radio podcast will be presenting a special report this week.
Read: Wolf cull based on flawed science, researchers say
“Hundreds of wolves are being killed each year in the most horrific fashion, at tax-payer expense. It’s disheartening to learn that on top of our legal counsel finding grounds to prove this program is likely unlawful under B.C. law, there’s also now confirmation from a renowned academic publication that culling is having no positive impact for caribou recovery,” said Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild’s Executive Director. “We’re fully prepared to challenge the B.C. government in court on this matter.”
Wolf photo by Ian McAllister | Pacific Wild
