FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 27 May 2011

Contact: Dustin Rhodes
Phone: (202) 906-0210

Darien, Connecticut-Friends of Animals filed a Motion to Intervene in the case Alliance for the Wild Rockies v. Salazar, which challenges the constitutionality of Section 1713 of the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011, P.L. 112-10 (also called the “budget rider” or the “wolf rider”). The budget rider directed the USFWS to reinstate the 2007 wolf delisting rule, which removed gray wolves in all areas of the Northern Rocky Mountains Distinct Population Segment (DPS) from protection under the Endangered Species Act. The original complaint was filed by Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Friends of the Clearwater and WildEarth Guardians on May 5, 2011 and the case was recently consolidated with another case, Center for Biological Diversity v. Salzar. The complaints challenge constitutionality of this legislative enactment.

Friends of Animals’ president Priscilla Feral says,

We must do everything in our power to undo the deadly disservice that was done to gray wolves; taking them off of the Endangered Species List was not only unethical and unjust-it was unconstitutional.

The wolf delisting rider, which was included in the 2011 federal budget, was sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, and was passed with a bipartisan vote of 81-19 on April 14, 2011.

Friends of Animals: We are a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization, founded in 1957. Our goal is to cultivate a respectful view of non-human animals, freeing them from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.