That question is worrying all who stand in opposition to the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation's push to remove our domestic flocks from the "clean list".
Prop 64 is on the Alaska Department of Fish & Game meeting agenda this weekend. If you would like to speak up in support of your local farmers, ranchers, and hobbyists, you have until Saturday at 10:30 to sign up for oral comments.
The meeting is being held through the 17th at the Lakefront Hotel, 4800 Spenard Road, Anchorage.
Over 360 fellow Alaskans took the time to submit letters in opposition to this proposal.
The supporters are knowingly misleading the Alaska public, by stating that if the proposal passes, then folks can just get a permit, test, and be reimbursed for any stock destroyed as a result. This is a lie. Not just an untruth, or a misstatement, it is a lie.
Direct from the State website:
In other words, the Board of Game has the power to remove species from the "clean list" If the animal is not on the clean list, then ownership is prohibited. Period end.
Unfortunately, our local reporter was not as thorough as she could have been, when this was published by the ADN:
The article does not go into depth on the lack of scientific data, how Dall sheep differ from Bighorn, what has occurred in the lower 48, under what conditions, etc. After all, there have been domestic sheep and goats here for decades, with absolutely zero disease outbreak between domestic and wild stock. ADF&G have not even identified habitat, yet the AWSF is intent on destroying a significant portion of animal husbandry in Alaska.
If you can add your voice in support of local livestock (and food security!) in Alaska, it would be greatly appreciated. This action is flat out fear mongering, has wide ranging implications (see previous entries on this subject), and serves no one but the pocketbooks of guides and outfitters, and their wealthy clients. Who, by the way, killed over 700 wild sheep last year alone.
3 comments:
I am totally against this awful piece of favoritism. The science is ludicrous. Please rethink your positions on this travesty.
This is ridiculous. There is no proof that domestic sheep and goats are spreading disease to wildlife. This will only be benefitting the local hunting guides. The people of Alaska depend on their sheep and goats as a food source. I am totally against this.
The AK WSF's preferred path forward is to have Alaska declared a "disease free" state in relation to domestic sheep and goats. To get there, all sheep and goats would need to be tested. Those infected would have to be removed from the herds or placed under permanent quarantine. The AK WSF has offered to pay for all testing and to purchase any infected animal. The fact is, if transmission of disease to any wild sheep or goat takes place, then it will be too late and thousands of wild animals will die.
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