Slaughterhouse, Fur, Lion Hunting Bans All Rejected by Colorado Voters

DENVER, CO., November 6, 2024— Several Colorado ballot questions failed and with them, the far-reaching consequences to agriculture nationwide.

The management of big cats will remain in the hands of the wildlife biologists at Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The proposed mountain lion and bobcat hunting ban passed in only six counties —Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, San Juan and San Miguel. Though the final tally was 55.5% of voters who rejected the measure, as expected, rural counties were resoundingly against the ban.

In the City and County of Denver, only 218,382 voters decided the future of 30% of the nation’s lamb shackle space. The proposed slaughterhouse ban failed 58% to 42%, leaving Superior Farms able to operate under the company’s employee owners.

Denver voters also rejected a fur ban, pushed by the same animal rights group, that would have banned the sale of items like felt cowboy hats, fishing lures with fur, and Native American items typically sold at the March PowWow. That measure failed 65% to 35%.

Statewide, a proposition to create a new veterinary professional associate position is currently passing 52% to 48%. The primarily online Master’s program will produce midlevel practitioners who will still be prohibited by federal law from prescribing or dispensing prescriptions or doing surgery. The measure was widely opposed by veterinarian professional groups at the state and national level.

The makeup of the state’s legislature didn’t change significantly, leaving the Democrats in majority in both chambers.

Source: Rachel Gabel, Western Ag Network