On December 14th, Animal Justice, Coyote Watch Canada, and the Fur-Bearers appeared at the Ontario Divisional Court in their lawsuit against the Ontario Government for their inaction concerning a coyote killing contest. Each year for the month of February, Chesher’s Outdoor Store near Belleville, Ontario awards cash prizes to hunters who kill the top five heaviest coyotes. Ontario’s Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry has said the contest is legal, but Animal Justice et al. argue it is contrary to section 11 of Ontario’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which prohibits hunting for gain or the expectation of gain or payment without authorization from the Minister. Neither the store nor the Minister have confirmed whether authorization was given for the contest.
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