Commissioners ratify letter in support of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act
During the Board of Commissioners’ April 15 public hearing, they ratified a letter to U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, in support of House Resolution 845, Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025.
This legislation would help restore local control over the management of gray wolf populations and federally remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife in the lower 48 states.
In the letter, the Board of Mesa County Commissioners stated, “In Mesa County and other parts of Colorado, the uncontrolled growth of gray wolf populations has led to increased conflict with livestock producers and threatens the safety of pets and farm animals. While the bill will not solve all of Colorado’s gray wolf problems, it ensures that local communities are not left vulnerable to federal inaction and removes this fully recovered species from federal management, something that should have happened a decade ago.”
Read the full letter:
On behalf of the Mesa County Board of Commissioners, we write in strong support of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Tom Tiffany’s Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845). This legislation will help restore local control over the management of gray wolf populations and federally delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states.
The gray wolf is fully recovered and should not receive federal protection as a result. As you know, the November 2020 rule by the Trump administration sought to delist the gray wolf but this was later blocked in court, and unjustifiable Endangered Species Act protections were reinstated. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act addresses these issues and will delist the gray wolf once and for all.
In Mesa County and other parts of Colorado, the uncontrolled growth of gray wolf populations has led to increased conflict with livestock producers and threatens the safety of pets and farm animals. While the bill will not solve all of Colorado’s gray wolf problems, it ensures that local communities are not left vulnerable to federal inaction and removes this fully recovered species from federal management, something that should have happened a decade ago.
We also recognize the importance of the judicial review prohibition in this bill. Environmental groups have used the courts to block reasonable management decisions, putting the interests of local communities at risk. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act ensures that these decisions are made by those closest to the issues, not by judges who may not fully understand the local impact.
We appreciate your leadership on this matter and strongly urge the Committee to pass this legislation in this week’s markup. The Mesa County Board of Commissioners fully supports H.R. 845, and we look forward to working together to protect our communities, livestock, and pets from the unintended consequences of unchecked wolf populations.
