An animal rights proposal in Oregon, which aimed to expand animal abuse laws by outlawing practices such as hunting, fishing, and livestock slaughter, will not appear on the November ballot. The proposal, known as Initiative Petition 28, failed to gather enough valid signatures to qualify, with only 74% of the submitted signatures deemed valid after review.

Background

The proposal drew widespread attention across the state, including in rural and agricultural communities where ranching, hunting, and fishing play a significant economic and cultural role. Opposition came from both Republican and Democratic elected officials, along with industry groups supporting livestock production and outdoor recreation.

Supporters of the proposal had hoped to spark a broader conversation about how humans interact with animals. The initiative would have removed long-standing exemptions in Oregon’s animal abuse laws, potentially exposing people who hunt, fish, or raise livestock to prosecution. It also included provisions for a transition fund to support affected industries and would have barred individuals convicted of animal abuse from owning animals for at least five years.

Despite collecting more than 142,000 signatures during the campaign, backers acknowledged challenges throughout the process. Early analysis suggested a high number of duplicate or invalid signatures, a finding later confirmed in a second review.

Next Steps

Chief petitioner David Michelson indicated that the campaign may continue, stating that if the campaign continues to grow, a vote may come to fruition in the future.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.