Wyoming’s current laws allow for the year-round killing of wolves classified as “predatory animals” outside designated management zones. While lethal predator control may be necessary in rural and agricultural areas, this legal framework must not be used as a shield for barbaric acts of cruelty. In 2024, Cody Roberts ran over a female wolf with a snowmobile, kept her alive, taped her muzzle shut, placed a shock collar on her, paraded her through a bar for photos, and laughed as she suffered—before finally killing her behind a barn. This was not predator control. It was deliberate torture.
Roberts received a mere $250 fine for this display of cruelty because Wyoming’s laws fail to distinguish between lawful dispatch of predators and public acts of sadism. This glaring gap enables individuals to abuse wildlife in ways that would be considered felonious if done to a domestic animal. The classification of an animal as a predator should never translate into a license to torture it.
Policy Recommendation:
To address this gap in Wyoming law, we propose the following changes:
-
Clarify “Humane Dispatch” Standards:
Amend Wyoming law to require that any lethal control of a predator be conducted in a humane and efficient manner. This should prohibit any actions that inflict unnecessary suffering, such as keeping an animal alive for prolonged periods or using cruel methods of restraint. -
Define Animal Cruelty to Include Wildlife:
Explicitly include all wildlife, including predatory animals, under Wyoming’s animal cruelty statutes. Acts of unnecessary pain, suffering, or torture, whether inflicted on a domestic or wild animal, should result in felony charges. Public displays of suffering, as seen in this case, should be classified as an aggravating factor in the crime. -
Establish Clear Penalties for Torture of Wildlife:
Introduce stronger penalties for individuals who intentionally harm or torture animals, particularly in a public setting. These penalties should go beyond fines and should include felony charges, imprisonment, and mandatory restitution for damages caused.
This policy will ensure that while predator control remains a necessary tool for wildlife management, it is never used as an excuse for cruelty or torture. Cody Roberts deserves to be in jail with a felony.