Cody Roberts, who paid a $250 fine for tormenting a wolf, could have faced up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail if convicted. This information was revealed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director during a working group meeting. The incident, where Roberts ran down the wolf with a snowmobile and paraded it in a bar before killing it, sparked global outrage.
Critics questioned the adequacy of Wyoming’s punishment, given the cruel nature of the behavior. In Wyoming, it is legal to take wolves without a license in predator zones, and there is a debate over whether animal cruelty laws apply to predators like wolves. Game and Fish officials said their options were limited in the Roberts case.
The agency previously stated that the $250 fine was the maximum penalty available, but it was later revealed that steeper punishment could have been pursued. Calls for reform led to the creation of a working group to examine state penalties regarding predators. The group agreed to draft bill language to prevent animals from suffering unduly before dispatching them but did not take action on the practice of running down predators with snowmobiles.
The wolf incident led to a boycott of Wyoming and a temporary halt to tourism promotion. The group believes that the handling of citations by game wardens may change following this event. Ultimately, the revelation of the potential for steeper penalties has sparked discussions about reforming wildlife laws in Wyoming.
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Photo credit wyofile.com
