Dear editor:

In the Tuesday, March 6 edition of the Powell Tribune, the headline “Bill prohibiting torture of wildlife signed by Gov. Gordon” caught my attention. 

It sounds humane until you read on. 

It seems to be OK to torture predatory animals in this state to the degree that running them down with a motorized vehicle is called a “niche recreational activity.” 

I understand protecting your livestock and property from physical harm. My concern is about the recreationalists out there who have no livestock to protect, harassing and killing animals for pleasure. In a Sept. 23, 2013 article in Psychology Today titled, “Animal Cruelty and the Sadism of Everyday Life” written by Hal Herzog, Ph.D, research shows that “sadism is a bigger factor in predicting animal cruelty.” 

In light of the worldwide outrage regarding the wolf that was run over by a snowmobile, then paraded around bars in Daniel, I am shocked that this is being allowed to continue.

This is not recreation, this is unsportsmanlike behavior, cruelty and a form of sadism.

Most people of Wyoming are proud of the abundance of wildlife, the wide open spaces and the recreational activities it offers. Most people respect animals and understand that they have a vital role in the environment. Imagine an animal waking up on a cold winter morning, trying to survive only to find a snowmobile bearing down on it. 

Later in the article, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., told WyoFile “...that we do not need members from districts that don’t even drive snowmobiles telling how to regulate our Western way of life.”  This is not my “Western Way of Life.”

Mary Baumann

Powell