A ballot measure that could dramatically alter hunting, fishing, and livestock practices in Oregon is moving closer to voters, with supporters claiming they have already gathered enough signatures to qualify for the November election.
Initiative Petition 28, known as IP28, seeks to expand Oregon’s animal cruelty laws by eliminating several exemptions that currently allow activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, and livestock slaughter. Supporters say the proposal is intended to extend legal protections to animals that are currently excluded from the state’s cruelty statutes. Opponents argue it would effectively outlaw many longstanding practices that are central to Oregon’s outdoor heritage, food production, and rural economy.
According to The Oregonian, the campaign has collected more than 120,000 signatures ahead of the July 2 deadline. The signatures must still be verified by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office before the measure can officially qualify for the ballot, a process expected to conclude later this summer.
The proposal has already drawn fierce opposition from sportsmen’s organizations across the state.
Earlier this year, the executive director of the Oregon Hunters Association told The Oregonian that the group would actively campaign against the measure if it reaches the ballot. The organization represents a sizable constituency, noting that Oregon has more than 330,000 licensed hunters and over 500,000 licensed anglers.
The economic implications are also significant. According to figures cited by the Oregon Hunters Association, farms and ranches employ more than 80,000 people statewide. Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that recreational hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching activities generated roughly $1.2 billion in economic activity in 2019.
Supporters of IP28 acknowledge that the measure would require substantial changes but argue that alternatives exist.
Petition organizer David Michaelson told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the campaign hopes to encourage Oregonians to rethink how society interacts with animals and consider methods that do not require killing them.
“We hope that a campaign like ours draws more people’s attention to the needs of the animals we currently intentionally injur [sic] and kill as a society,” Michaelson said, adding that the initiative seeks to promote alternative approaches that meet human needs without harming animals.
When asked about Oregonians whose livelihoods depend on hunting, livestock production, or related industries, Michaelson said the campaign recognizes those concerns and believes economic transitions can be managed.
“I’d empathize with how worried those individuals might be considering the shift we are asking for,” he said. “We want to make sure they can still get their need for economic stability met even in a world where we no longer intentionally kill animals.”
Michaelson pointed to non-lethal wildlife management techniques as possible alternatives. He cited research into wildlife sterilization vaccines and argued that wildlife professionals could continue their work using methods other than hunting.
The initiative also proposes creating a Transition Fund designed to assist workers and communities affected by the changes. According to Michaelson, the fund could provide job retraining, income assistance, and programs aimed at increasing food access while helping individuals move away from occupations that involve killing animals.
For now, supporters remain focused on securing a place on the ballot.
“We won’t know whether we qualify for the ballot until late July, which is when the secretary of state will conduct signature verification,” Michaelson told the DCNF. “We have until July 2nd to submit all of our signatures, and are still actively collecting signatures.”
If the measure qualifies, Oregon voters will face one of the most far-reaching animal-rights proposals ever considered in the United States, setting up a high-profile battle between animal-rights activists and the state’s hunting, fishing, agricultural, and conservation communities.
