The Pet and Livestock Protection Act returns wolf management to the states and blocks activist judges from overturning the delisting through lawfare
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House passed the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, introduced by Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04). H.R. 845 delists the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), prevents endless lawfare from overturning the decision, and restores authority to state lawmakers and wildlife officials to responsibly manage gray wolf populations. The bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 211-204.
“When federal protections were first established for gray wolves in the Great Lakes region, populations were only in the hundreds. Today, there are well over 4,000 wolves across Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Despite this recovery, activist judges continue to ignore the science, leaving livestock and pets to be slaughtered and rural communities vulnerable,” said Congressman Tom Tiffany. “The Pet and Livestock Protection Act reflects a commonsense approach that has been recognized across administrations of both parties, including Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden. The gray wolf has recovered, and Wisconsin should be allowed to responsibly manage a population that has exceeded recovery goals without interference from out-of-state judges.”
“I’m thrilled that the Pet and Livestock Protection Act has now passed the House with a bipartisan vote, marking a major win for ranchers, farmers, and property owners in Colorado and nationwide,” Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated. “The science has been clear for years: gray wolves are fully recovered, and their resurgence deserves to be celebrated as a true conservation success story. It’s long past time to delist them and empower states to set their own management policies. I can’t wait for President Trump to sign this bill into law.”
“The science has been clear for nearly two decades: the gray wolf is a fully recovered species. States are more than capable of managing thriving wolf populations. This legislation restores a common-sense, science-based approach to wolf management, returning decision-making to states. I commend the House for acting to protect livestock, pets, and rural communities while maintaining healthy ecosystems,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman.
Background:
The Pet and Livestock Protection Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States. It also ensures this rule cannot be overturned through judicial review, preventing activist judges, like the California judge who vacated the rule in 2022, from relisting the gray wolf by judicial fiat.
In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Trump delisted the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States through a process that included the best science and data available. At over 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act (ESA) success story with significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions.
Despite clear evidence of recovery, a California judge overturned the rule in 2022, relisting the gray wolf under the ESA. Since then, wolf attacks in Wisconsin have increased for the third consecutive year. In 2024, Wisconsin paid out $322,970 for wolf-caused losses, the second-highest amount in 40 years. There have been numerous gray wolf attacks in Wisconsin’s Seventh District over the last few years. You can view some examples here, here, and here (warning of graphic content). Several states in the Northern Rockies are responsibly managing stable wolf populations, and it’s time to give other states the opportunity to do the same.
36 Members of Congress cosponsored Reps. Tiffany’s and Boebert’s Pet and Livestock Protection Act, including: Reps. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Nick Begich (AK-At-Large), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Jeff Crank (CO-05), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Troy Downing (MT-02), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Harriet Hageman (WY-At-Large), Andy Harris (MD-01), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Richard Hudson (NC-09), David Joyce (OH-14), Mike Kennedy (UT-03), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Max Miller (OH-07), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Andy Ogles (TN-05), Scott Perry (PA-10), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Bryan Steil (WI-01), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), and Tony Wied (WI-08)
Stakeholders that support the Pet and Livestock Protection Act include: Hunter Nation, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR), Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Blacktail Deer Foundation, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Wool Growers, New Mexico Cattle Growers, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association
“This isn’t just about wolves — it is about freedom, fairness, and who gets to decide the future of America’s outdoors. Hunter Nation thanks Representatives Tiffany and Boebert, as they fought tirelessly to make sure the voices of hunters, ranchers, and rural Americans were heard in Washington. Today’s vote restores common sense and gets us one step closer to getting wildlife management back where it belongs — with the states and with the people who live closest to the land,” said Hunter Nation CEO and Founder Keith Mark.
“For too long, ranchers have grappled with the pendulum swing of regulatory determination on the gray wolf. The last three presidents have concluded that the gray wolf is fully recovered, yet lawsuits from activist groups have forced the agency to back away from sound science and keep the wolf listed. Restoring the 2020 wolf delisting through the Pet and Livestock Protection Act will give management decisions and certainty back to cattle producers, who are suffering financially and emotionally from wolf depredations that increase every year. NCBA extends our gratitude to Congress for passing this legislation and urge the Senate to act,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein.
“The science is clear. Gray wolves have long since recovered and remain listed only because of political pressure from activist groups. Ranchers and rural communities across the West face the daily consequences of unchecked wolf populations, which threaten both livestock and pets. Returning management authority to the states ensures that decisions are made closer to those directly impacted on the ground. Ranchers proudly support this bill, and PLC thanks Reps. Tiffany and Boebert for standing with ranchers and rural communities,” said Public Lands Council President Tim Canterbury.
“Wisconsin Farm Bureau congratulates Congressman Tom Tiffany on the passage of H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. This legislation is an important step toward restoring common-sense wildlife management and providing certainty for rural communities that have lived with the consequences of a growing wolf population for far too long. Those who live and work on the land have paid the price through livestock losses, threats to pets, and ongoing concerns for public safety. We urge swift passage in the Senate so Wisconsin farmers and rural residents finally have stability, clarity and a voice in wolf management decisions that directly impact their livelihoods,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Brad Olson.
“Cattlemen across Wisconsin have faced numerous challenges from the expanding gray wolf population. The most direct impact has been livestock depredation, but we cannot ignore secondary effects such as damaged fences from cattle being chased, interrupted grazing behavior, reduced fertility rates, and mental strain on producers managing concern for their own safety while caring for traumatized herds. These issues affect not only animal health and disposition but also increase the complexity of compensation claims. The Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association strongly supports Congressman Tiffany’s Pet and Livestock Protection Act to federally delist the gray wolf, returning population management to the state level. As cattlemen, we need effective solutions to address a predator that is causing significant harm to our operations,” said Tressa Lacy, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association President.
“On behalf of our millions of members and hunters nationwide, we would like to thank Representatives Boebert and Tiffany for their leadership in introducing and passing the Pet and Livestock Protection Act,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of NRA-ILA. “Hunters of all stripes care deeply about being good stewards of our land, and this bill lets them do just that. By passing this bill, the U.S. House has taken an important step to allow states to better manage wolves, in conjunction with hunters, just as they do successfully with nearly all species.”
“I commend Congressman Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for their tireless dedication to returning management of these recovered species to the states once and for all. We need to return wolf management to the states where it belongs and ensure that these decisions are based on science, not politics. Congressman Tiffany’s bill will prevent activist judges who’ve never seen a wolf, let alone lived among them, from interfering and instead empower local experts to manage our wildlife responsibly,” said Luke Hilgemann, Executive Director IOTR.
“Despite far exceeding ESA population recovery goals and a proven record of successful management of gray wolves by state wildlife agencies, the endless cycle of scientific delisting and judicial reinstatements has created a need to legislatively delist gray wolves. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act codifies that the primary management authority of recovered gray wolves resides with our state wildlife agencies, and we thank Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Members Reps. Tiffany and Boebert for leading and championing this legislation through the House,” said Taylor Schmitz, Senior Vice President for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.
“SCI commends the House for passing the Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025. For too long, animal rights groups and activist courts have overturned delisting decisions made on the best available science. SCI has defended the delisting of wolves for over 20 years. It is past time for Congress to step in and reinforce the intent of the Endangered Species Act – to remove recovered species from federal management and allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to focus on species truly at risk. SCI thanks the co-sponsors for supporting the science and appropriate state management of wolves and we urge the Senate to swiftly take up this bill,” said Chris Tymeson, Vice President of Government Affairs, Safari Club International.
“The Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association is strongly in favor of any action that would return wolf management to the states. Currently, farmers, hunters, pet owners and other residents in Wisconsin’s wolf range are being adversely affected by the lack of wolf management. In fact, the effects of the unmanaged population are being felt throughout the state. It is time for Congress to act to ensure proper management of the species is returned to the state level. We continue to urge Congress to act on any measure, including H.R. 845 and H.R. 1897, that would guarantee states’ rights to manage wolves,” said Carl Schoettel, Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association President.
“The Mule Deer Foundation believes that once a species has fully recovered, management should return to the states. We applaud our representatives for their leadership on this important issue,” said Greg Sheehan, Mule Deer Foundation President and CEO.
“The US Fish and Wildlife Service delisted wolves in the Lower 48 states twice in the last decade and a half – during the Obama administration in 2011 and the Trump administration in 2020. Both times, judges intervened to invalidate the process despite agreement among scientists, biologists and professional wildlife managers that wolf populations are stable and growing and should return to state management. State wildlife agencies sustainably manage thousands of species without federal interference, and several states in the northern Rockies are successfully managing wolves because Congress took action to protect their delisting from activist judges. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports the Pet and Livestock Protection Act to return wolf management to all states. We thank Representatives Tiffany and Boebert for sponsoring this legislation,” said Blake Henning, Chief Conservation Officer, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
The full text of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act is available here.
