California & Protecting Endangered Wildlife

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-critical-california-bill-that-will-restrict-exotic-wildlife-trade-protect-endangered-species-passes-first-committee-hearing-with-a-vote-of-5-1/

A bill that would heavily restrict the import of wild / exotic animals that could carry zoonotic disease as well as a ban on importing endangered animal trophies has moved through its first hurdle on its way to the Governor's desk after a 5 - 1 vote in support of the bill. This bill could see the end of importing hunting trophies from endangered African animals as well as tackling the wildlife trade as it is currently believed that the coronavirus was passed on to humans from a wet market in Wuhan, China.

Here's a few reasons I strongly support this bill;

• Trophy hunting of endangered animals is by far one of my biggest triggers in the animal welfare realm. Hunters argue their money to participate is funnelled into conservation efforts but trophy hunting in itself is the biggest hypocrisy. One cannot help protect an endangered species by paying tens of thousands of dollars to shoot them. Trophy hunting should be banned across the globe, especially when it pertains to endangered animals.

• Animals like elephants, rhinos, giraffes etc. already face incredible perils in the wild and fight for their survival on a daily basis. Habitat loss, increased human-wildlife conflicts, and illegal poaching already help to diminish their population. We should not be allowing anyone to pay money to shoot these animals dead so that they can bring back body parts as trophies. It's sickening and is contributing to these beautiful animals' push towards extinction.
• Whether or not the coronavirus actually came from a wet market, it's incredibly clear that these markets are cesspools for disease. Animals crammed into cages, hobbling all over one another, likely without any veterinary care waiting to be slaughtered on the spot. Animals slaughtered immediately after being chosen by buyers, blood splattering all over the place, it's evident that hygiene is a very serious issue in these markets.
• Not to mention the emotional, mental, and physical stress the animals locked up in those cages must endure. They sit crammed in these cages as thousands of people are constantly walking by. They witness animals being beheaded, chopped up, sliced etc. and watch as blood spills everywhere as they await their turn to be slaughtered. The effects of these markets on the animals are undeniably bad.
• The animals that end up in these markets where either bred in captivity for the sole purpose of being sold and killed in these markets or they were plucked from their natural habitat to be stuffed inside a cage until they are killed.

This bill will put an end to the trophy hunting industry in California and would hopefully inspire other states to adopt similar bans. Endangered animals need to be protected and it's shameful that there are human beings that would rather ignore the facts and instead spend thousands of dollars to shoot them dead. 

Secondly, wet markets are disgusting and as mentioned, a cesspool for germs and virus'. Hygiene aside, the animals kept in these markets were either illegally plucked from the wild or bred in horrific breeding facilities only to end up in cages on show for humans that will ultimately decide when they should die. There's nothing acceptable about these markets and they too should be banned.

Common sense has to come into play at some point. It's imperative that we ban trophy hunting instead of pandering to the wealthy. Animals deserve better than what we are giving them and it's time our laws protected them appropriately. I will update on this bill as soon as more information becomes available.

HAPPY VEG