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WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh strives to meet the highest standards of humane animal care and husbandry and to promote responsible pet ownership through public education and outreach; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes and supports hunting and fishing events for properly licensed hunters and anglers; and
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh City Council has taken actions to safeguard the wellbeing of animals, including banning the trapping of birds to be used in sport and recreational shoots, establishing regulations against leaving pets outside in harsh weather, setting standards against the commercial breeding of animals in substandard conditions for sale; and
WHEREAS, wildlife killing contests, in which participants are competing for the most aggregate or certain kinds of kills, that are conducted for profit, entertainment, prizes, and for the “fun of killing” glorify killing for its own sake, and are unacceptable; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has more wildlife killing contests than any other state in the country; and
WHEREAS, many of the animals targeted in wildlife killing contests, like predators, including coyotes, are an integral part of the ecosystem and play a critical role in maintaining a healthy balance of plants and animals in the ecosystem by preying on species such as rabbits, mice, and other rodents; and
WHEREAS, wildlife killing contests destabilize ecosystems, which create ripple effects that can negatively affect the city’s natural environment; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh supports the joint efforts of Humane Action Pittsburgh and Animal Wellness Action to end the practice of wildlife killing contests in the state of Pennsylvania.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Pittsburgh hereby opposes wildlife killing contests conducted throughout Pennsylvania and urges the Pennsylvania Game Commission to take the necessary actions to eliminate the practice.