A cruel proposal for a hunting lottery of Connecticut’s majestic black bears has been abandoned by lawmakers!

The legislation lost steam after hundreds of advocates voiced their opposition to a hunt — and Lady Freethinker was a part of that momentum! We thank the nearly 40,000 supporters who signed our petition urging legislators to NOT allow bear hunting in the state!

After legislators heard from so many animal lovers, they decided to nix the specific language that would allow for an annual hunting “lottery.” The amended language of SB 1148 rejects the proposed annual bear hunt, which would have authorized the killing of 50 black bears each year in Litchfield County.

We are thrilled that there won’t be a bear hunting lottery in Connecticut, but there is still work to be done, as new provisions added to the bill would authorize farmers and other residents to kill bears they deem “problematic.”

This means bears’ lives are still at risk.

If you are a Connecticut resident, please take a moment to email your legislators and urge them to vote “no” on any bill that would allow the killing of Connecticut’s bears and to focus on educating the public about non-lethal methods they can take instead of gunning down intelligent and complex animals.

If you’re not in Connecticut, you can still advocate for bears and other animals by speaking up for animals in your own community and by urging people to respect other animals’ right to live.