The California Senate's Natural Resources and Water committee will hear SB 818 on April 22. Before that hearing, Californians can contact their legislators and tell them this bill is unlawful, unscientific, and puts people and wildlife in danger. Californians love mountain lions and don't want to see this iconic species chased by hounds through the Sierra Nevadas for sport.
SB 818 goes against decades of California law that protects mountain lions from being chased for sport. It creates a recreational permit for people to have teams of hounds chase mountain lions in El Dorado County, in the Sierra Nevadas. While this is presented as a step to address unwanted encounters between mountain lions and livestock, the policy it creates has no scientific foundation, and a lot of scientific reasons to think it could make matters worse, not better. In states where hounds are allowed to pursue mountain lions, poorly trained teams have attacked people and pets recreating outdoors, livestock, or endangered species. This bill makes it likely that more people, pets, livestock, and wildlife will be hurt or killed. There are better approaches the legislature could take.
The form below will help you send a letter to your state senator if you live in California. Please personalize the message by adding details on why mountain lions and mountain lion protections are important to you, and anything you want to include about your personal relationship with your state senator. Please keep the message polite and respectful. Feel free to rephrase our suggested talking points into your own words to best capture your feelings. Doing so is more authentic, and also ensures that their software doesn't flag your message as a form letter.