U.S. House passes Tiffany’s bill to delist the gray wolf

On Thursday, Dec 18, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 211 to 204 to pass Tom Tiffany (WI-07-R) and Lauren Boebert’s (CO-04-R) Pet and Livestock Protection Act. The bill would delist the gray wolf and not allow for judicial review of the delisting. Tiffany has said many times that the lack of judicial review would be important. Previous delistings have been overturned, not necessarily due to the lack of recovery of the species, but on technicalities of the delisting order itself, effectively bouncing the wolf back onto the Endangered Species List. In previous delisting efforts, conservation and animal welfare groups have filed lawsuits in different jurisdictions, sometimes outside the regions most affected, to challenge federal decisions. These legal challenges have occasionally resulted in courts overturning delisting orders, not necessarily because of the biological status of the species, but due to procedural or technical issues in the orders themselves.

This bill was presented last year under another name but, Tiffany said, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act was more indicative of the problem at hand for rural people such as those in Wisconsin. Each year both livestock and pets fall victim to depredations by wolves, with little recourse for farmers, ranchers, and rural Wisconsinites. When harassment or depredation issues arise, non-lethal abatement measures such as hazing or deterrents are typically implemented. Supporters of the bill argue these measures may provide only temporary relief, while critics emphasize that such approaches are important for balancing livestock protection with conservation goals. As long as wolves are on the Endangered Species List, non-lethal abatement is, for the most part, the only abatement measure allowed. Only in cases of direct human safety concerns can someone dispatch a wolf, which must be in the act of actually attacking a person.

“The Pet and Livestock Protection Act reflects a commonsense approach that has been recognized across administrations of both parties, including Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden,” Tiffany said. “The gray wolf has recovered, and Wisconsin should be allowed to responsibly manage a population that has exceeded recovery goals without interference from out-of-state judges.” 

“I’m thrilled that the Pet and Livestock Protection Act has now passed the House with a bipartisan vote, marking a major win for ranchers, farmers, and property owners in Colorado and nationwide,” Boebert said. “The science has been clear for years: gray wolves are fully recovered, and their resurgence deserves to be celebrated as a true conservation success story. It’s long past time to delist them and empower states to set their own management policies. I can’t wait for President Trump to sign this bill into law.”

Many sporting groups and farming groups have shown support for the bill, including The Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association.

“The Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association is strongly in favor of any action that would return wolf management to the states. Currently, farmers, hunters, pet owners and other residents in Wisconsin’s wolf range are being adversely affected by the lack of wolf management. In fact, the effects of the unmanaged population are being felt throughout the state. It is time for Congress to act to ensure proper management of the species is returned to the state level. We continue to urge Congress to act on any measure, including H.R. 845 and H.R. 1897, that would guarantee states’ rights to manage wolves,” Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association president Carl Schoettel said in a statement. 

The next step for the Pet and Livestock Protection Act will be a vote in the full Senate. Tiffany said he hoped that vote would take place either right before or right after Christmas. Tiffany and other supporters have called for stakeholders to contact their senators to express their concerns and to ask their legislators to vote for the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, stating, “the time has come for sensible wolf management.”

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].