Copyright The Oregonian
At Veganville Animal Sanctuary, an Oregon-based refuge for rescued farmed animals, our mission is rooted in respect for all life and the belief that compassion and science must guide our environmental decisions. Oregon has long led the nation in pursuing innovative, progressive solutions to ecological challenges. This makes recent votes by Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden particularly disheartening. Both senators voted against a motion that would have halted the federal plan to kill up to half a million barred owls in the name of protecting the spotted owl. A “no” vote in this case would have supported moving forward with this mass lethal wildlife removal, a strategy many wildlife biologists, ethicists, and animal-welfare advocates have called both unethical and scientifically unsound. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal would authorize the widespread shooting of barred owls across the Pacific Northwest, including here in Oregon. Such an approach contradicts our state’s legacy of leadership in finding balanced, humane, and evidence-based solutions to complex environmental issues. We call on Merkley and Wyden to publicly explain their votes to their constituents, especially to the many Oregonians who value animals, ecosystems and compassionate conservation. We urge them to advocate for non-lethal, science-driven approaches to wildlife management rather than perpetuating a kill-first model. Every species plays a role, and every life matters. Cecilia Mialon, Seaside Mialon is executive director of Veganville Animal Sanctuary
