Letter From the President

From Joe Miele, President of C.A.S.H.

C.A.S.H. held its annual membership and Board of Directors meeting in June, where it was time to not only discuss the accomplishments of the previous year, but to brainstorm where we want to go as 2016 fast approaches.

We will be continuing many of our current projects, such as documenting each hunting accident and violation that we’re made aware of, and reaching out to our members and supporters to act on legislation that helps or harms wildlife.

We will also continue helping activists seeking information on issues as varied as keeping groundhogs from burrowing in a backyard gazebo, to students seeking information on fur trapping. As always, those who have come to wildlife protection only recently will have their “Hunting 101” questions answered; and seasoned activists wishing to increase their awareness of more specialized issues, like Quality Deer Management or chronic wasting disease, can come to us for information and advice. We’ll continue to urge people to become active on the local level, and emphasize how much good can be done in the political arena with a little grassroots organizing.

These are the things that have made us who we are – the thirst for learning and for remaining in-step with the latest in the complex world of wildlife/habitat/human interaction, and the newest developments in hunting weaponry and methodology. We want you to use our decades of experience to your best advantage.

Starting with this issue of the C.A.S.H. Courier, you’ll be seeing an additional and underreported aspect of wildlife management. Our mission will never change nor will our commitment to wild animals, but some of the information you’ll be given will be different from that of any other organization.

You’ll come along with C.A.S.H. as we focus more on small wild animal hunting. While there is no shortage of information on deer hunting, wolf hunting, coyote hunting, and the killing of other “high-profile” animals, the tens of millions of small animals who are killed every year are barely noticed by the activist community. We will expose the cruelty brought upon animals such as rabbits and squirrels and show why their lives matter and how their slaughter is vital to the survival of the state hunting agencies that masquerade as wildlife and environmental advocates.

In the year ahead we’ll also be highlighting the work and struggles of wildlife rehabilitators. These tireless advocates work around the clock to rescue and save the lives of animals who’ve been traumatized and maimed by hunters and hunting agencies. Because it is common for wildlife rehabbers to refrain from speaking against hunting and hunters out of fear that their licenses will be revoked and their animals will be taken from them and killed, which happens over and over again, we’ll be giving a louder voice to these selfless friends of wildlife and showing how vitally important their work truly is.

All of this would not be possible without the help of YOU – our dedicated and generous members and supporters. We’d like to thank you all for your kindness, generosity, and dedication to helping wildlife and fighting against those who would abuse them. Exciting times lie ahead.