Initiative Petition 13, or IP13, was filed in Oregon in November by a Portland animal-rights activist with almost 1,100 sponsorship signatures. In the latest development, if by July 8 supporters collect the 112,020 signatures required to move the petition forward, it could be a bill on the November 2022 ballot for Oregon voters.
Why does this matter? The bill would effectively ban hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal agriculture such as dairy farming and ranching.
The stated goal of the bill is to “remove many of the current exemptions from Oregon’s animal cruelty laws against animal abuse, animal neglect, and animal sexual assault.”
Who doesn’t want to end abuse, neglect, and sex crimes against animals? But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find this bill would make the intentional killing of an animal, such as slaughtering a cow for beef, animal abuse. Tethering any farm animal would be considered neglect, and artificial insemination would be deemed sexual assault. Hunting, fishing, and trapping practices would also be considered animal abuse — and felonies.
A dozen agriculture groups have lined up against the bill, Dairy Herd Management reported, noting that “IP13 would not only eliminate that exception but also slap a crime on, as it now would classify breeding livestock as sexual abuse of an animal, a Class C felony. The measure does not stop there but also would take away protections for hunting, fishing, rodeos, slaughtering livestock, wildlife management, pest control, scientific research and more.”
In an FAQ section on the website for the bill, the question is posed:
“Would IP13 make hunting, fishing, and trapping illegal? If passed, IP13 would remove the exemption for hunting, fishing, and trapping from our cruelty laws, meaning that any practice that involves the intentional injury of an animal would be criminalized. Although the practice of seeking, pursuing, and in some cases even capturing an animal would still be legally protected, the practice of killing animals would no longer be protected.”
For ranchers, it claims raising cattle would still be legal, but meat could only be harvested after the animal “died of natural causes, such as old age.”
The website continues that the bill may not impact tribal law or sovereign Indigenous nations, but that there will be no “exemptions from our animal cruelty laws for individuals depending on their racial or ethnic background.” It also states that the petitioners are “confident” that all Oregonians will be able to find both food and economic security — a curious conclusion, as only 3% of Americans report themselves vegan and 5% say they are vegetarians.
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George says
Boy these liberals are a special kind of stupid…
Sincerely says
Yes
Patty DeJarnette says
You will starve your own people
Do NOT pass this
James Cline says
Are there two many people in Oregon? This idiotic bill would take care of that because thousands of hunters and fishermen would move out of the state. In addition, ranchers would be out of business and and farmers would also because no one would need to by feed because they dont raise these animals as pets. Grow up people, this bill is a disaster.
Debra L Larsen says
Is there organized groups I might contact to stop this insanity? We need help. My sister has a farm in Oregon and is very worried. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Doug says
Do we have some way to track the IP13 on the number of signatures it has to date?
Has anyone done a study on this to see if it has a chance to pass if it does get on the ballot ?
Robin Castle says
Hi Doug,
Did you get an answer to your question regarding tracking the IP13 on the number of signatures it has to date?
This bill is very concerning.
Thank you,
Robin
Chris Rariden says
Dumbest damn thing iv ever read. How to people come up with this BS
Bruce Stewart says
I’m a little liberal but this is not right. Keep Portland weird needs to say out of it !!! You are safer with the wildlife than you are with the humans in Portland .Portland doesn’t run the state 👍
Sincerely says
Asking also. That’s why I’m here. Trying to find a Letitia against it.
Sincerely says
petition. Sorry no
edit button
davidscott says
unfortunately Portland (and salem) does run the state!!!
Jacqueline says
This world just gets crazier by the minute. This Bill is beyond ridiculous. The good people of Oregon will never pass this. Thankfully.
Sincerely says
I should hope not! Most have enjoyed the State for the purpose of ability to hunt and farm.
Eric smith says
I heard about this on Cal’s week in review podcast.
How do we stop this and make sure the proposed bill on the ballot has correct information.
Justin Robertson says
What a fucking waste of time
Lori says
I do agree that the dairy and cattle Industry needs to clean up it’s act in the way it practices it’s industry and cow gases do need to be contained as a reusable source but this bill is way to broad covering fishing? I don’t think so!!! And without the wild hunting and harvesting of over run and sickly breeds of dear,elk, turkey’s. Our state will be inhabitable for humans… Or is that the plan??
Stu says
How would you contain cow gases??
Tony says
Seriously?!! What you gonna do? Attach a vacuum tube to a cows ass? Seriously idiots out there. Farmers already have way to many regulations that have driven many out of business. Maybe educate yourself before saying ignorant things. Maybe we should attach a collection system for the crap coming out of Leftists mouths!!
Raymond E Atkins says
So WTF are you going to eat? This is the biggest fucking joke.
Rona says
Please vote no this is so stupid you liberals are so dumb get a life people
Lisa says
Can this be any stupid?? This would destroy Oregon! Insane and so misinformed! Please do not let this get on the ballot!!!
Keith Novak says
I guess when we run out of food we’ll be eating those crazy people
Curtis Been says
They obviously forgot about the treaties that cannot be touched by Oregon law. Indians will always be able to hunt and fish.
They also did not think that because we are here we need to manage wildlife since we are living in their feeding and wintering areas making hunting critical for wildlife survival so there is enough food for wintering herds.
There is no such thing as predator prey balance with humans in the mix so Odfw must manage predators as well. Since the outlaw of hunting with hounds Odfw now pays houndsmen to control predators instead of them paying for tags. The hunting will not stop. It will just change from a sport to a job to maintain the balance.
A better bill to save wildlife would be to reduce speed limits everywhere to 20 mph (yes even freeways). This would save many more animals than banning hunting. I guess this bill might charge you with a felony if you hit an animal with your car. Although this affects everyone so I’m sure this would be exempt.
Sincerely says
People blame liberals but like it or not, I’ve read these proposed democratic socialist agenda bills and it’s because they want to remove all rights for people to feed themselves and make genetically modified food via the government control, to dole it out. People who continue voting democrat are voting for the things by voting democrat. Most democrats have become progressive. And that means controlling everything. People can argue all they want, but read these plans and you will see that it’s true. Just look up their 210 page plans and you’ll find this stuff in there.
Brent Siegel says
what is happening to our state Oregon is one of the best hunting and fishing states out there how are we post to eat or make a living this is not right i know i will be moving if this goes thru stupid Kate brown and the libs from Cali need to leave our state.
The man The myth The legend says
I just want to be famous
davidscott says
absolutely insane! i can not imagine this passing! too many meat eaters out there. too many hunters/fisherman. but who knows, the cheating demis may pass it through! if so, it will destroy oregon! how do we combat this insanity? so if I set traps for rats and gophers, I guess I would be breaking the law? gzzzzz.