Hunter Ran Down Wolf With Snowmobile, Tortured the Injured Animal at a Bar Before Killing Her

I was devastated to hear the news about a young female wolf who was tortured in Wyoming, USA.  As The Guardian states, “A Wyoming hunter who reportedly ran over a gray wolf with a snowmobile, taped the creature’s mouth shut, took a picture with it inside a local bar and then shot it to death behind the tavern has ignited calls for stiffer penalties in such an egregious case of animal abuse.”  While in the bar, it is reported how people drank beer, laughing as photos were taken.  In a video clip, the hunter can be seen posing as though to kiss the wolf on the muzzle while the injured animal, undoubtedly in pain and trembling in fear, snarls through the duct tape. In one report it is said that the hunter said “it was worth the $250 fine.”

It gives me some sense of relief in my anguish to see the outpouring of voices in protest of this incident.  There are people calling for laws to be changed, as well. Dan Ashe, president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says in a statement in The Guardian article linked above:

…I think every state should be reviewing their statutes to make sure that this kind of cruelty is punishable.

A Change.org petition demands that Roberts be made to answer felony animal cruelty charges.  A google search of this incident will bring up several animal rights and welfare organizations, including Animal Legal Defense Fund and Lady FreeThinker, who have drafted petitions to sign.

When Lolita the orca died in August of 2023, there was outrage worldwide.  When Faye the swan, who lived in an upstate New York pond with her mate and cygnets was killed and eaten in July of 2023, there was much outrage.  You can read about these incidents here and here.  For many of us, animals being treated like Lolita, Faye, or this wolf, envokes a gambit of emotions – shock, sorrow, anger, frustration, disgust, outrage.  These are all appropriate.  What happened to these animals is devastatingly heartbreaking.  For many who fight for justice and better treatment of animals, they often find themselves in a state of despair.  But we should not despair nor should we give up fighting for justice and better treatment of animals. The fact that so many people are outraged and speaking out is a positive sign.  There is more reason for hope as well.

Even though we live in a world where animals are far too often seen as commodities, utilities, entertainment, food, objects for experimentation, and here for us to hunt and do what we want with, we can take comfort in knowing this is not the kind of use of animals God condones. Although we do find many proclaiming Christians embracing the exploitation of animals for our use of them in these ways and labeling it as God given (they consider the dominion God gave us in Genesis as a license to use animals and the earth as we want) this is not the kind of dominion God gave us. It is an abuse of our power over animals to use them in these ways.  Hunting, for example, is a predatory activity and was not present before the fall of man.  From Shepherding All God’s Creatures, Hunting – What Scripture Says:

Therein lies the rub of hunting; premeditated killing, death, harm, destruction. All of these are ramifications of the Fall. When Christ returns, all of these things will be ended. Isaiah 11:9 provides both the promise and the reason behind it:

“They shall not hurt nor destroy . . .  for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Emphasis mine)

Of all people, Christians should not be the destroyers. We should be the healers and reconcilers. We must show NOW how it will be

THEN in the Peaceable Kingdom of Isaiah 11:6 where “the wolf shall lie down with the lamb . . . and a little child shall lead them.”

For more about hunting, watch this very informative video from Creation Care Church, What Does The Bible Say About Hunting?

The perfect will of God and what He intends for all creation is found in the Genesis creation account.  God creates a very good world where all creation lives in harmony together.  The concept of harmony in Hebrew is Shalom (שׁלום), meaning complete, whole, unharmed, well-being, safe, secure.  In Genesis 2:15 God placed humans in the garden to care for or cultivate it and maintain or keep it.  The words care/cultivate in the original language is עבד, transliteration `abad.  It means to labour, work, do work; to work for another, serve another by labour.  The words keep/maintain in the original language is שׁמר; transliteration shamar.  It means have charge of; to keep guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life. The language used gives us an unmistakable image of human dominion as a responsibility to “serve” and “protect” the garden’s inhabitants and the garden itself. Being made in God’s Image is the embodiment of God in order to care for and watch over that which God created. Humans were to oversee and keep the Shalom of the garden.

For all of us who struggle with our emotions over animal abuse and suffering, we can look to Jesus for our hope.  He is our comforter and our strength (Psalm 46:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  The Bible is filled with scripture about how our desire for evil and bloodshed to end is fulfilled in Christ.  Jesus destroyed the devil’s work (1 John 3:8).  He reconciles all things to Himself (Colossians 1:20).  His sacrifice on the cross provides redemption, salvation, and eternal life for those who are born again, trust in, follow, and are baptised into Christ ( Acts 2:38; Acts 4:12; Titus 3:5; John 15:1-27; John 3:3 ) This short article, Cosmic Reconciliation, explains the profound and far reaching effects of what Christ did on the cross!  The whole created order was in essence restored:

[The] fall ruined humanity’s fellowship with our Creator, but it also “broke” the cosmos: people began hating each other, animals were set against us and other animals, pests and disease entered the picture, and even nature was thrown into upheaval — weather, earthquakes, and more now cause death and destruction. Christ’s work fixes all this as well, and creation will one day no longer groan for its rescue (Rom. 8:18–23).

We grieve over animal suffering at the hand of man, and God grieves with us.  The hard heartedness of man, the sin he commits, the torture and destruction of God’s creatures and the earth greatly grieve His heart.  It is Elohim’s desire that none should suffer.  He loves His creation!  When we learn to stop reading the scripture from an anthropocentric view, we see God’s love and care for animals all over in the Bible.  One such example is how the book of Jonah ends with His concern for the animals of Nineveh. Watch this short video clip of Greg Boyd on God’s love for animals, chock full of some examples of Elohim’s love for His creatures.  We can take great comfort in knowing God sees everything that is happening upon the earth.

Proverbs 15:3

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

One day Jesus will return at the end of this age and fully establish the Shalom we all long for.  He will wipe away the tears of every creature, there shall be no more pain or mourning, and all creation shall be healed (Revelation 21:4; Revelation 22:2).  In the meantime, to the best of our ability we can put on display to the world around us what it looks like to usher in God’s Kingdom in how we live on the earth.  We examine our lifestyles, learn to swim upstream of the culture, do what we can to steward, protect, and care for the animals and the earth, and continue to stand up to evil wherever it happens.  These articles provide more information about how to do this:

Spiritual Warfare and the Animal Kingdom – Part Two (asks some pertinent questions as to how we handle our grief and navigate the times we live in)

Spiritual Warfare and the Animal Kingdom – Part Five (responds to the questions in Part Two)

Spiritual Warfare and the Animal Kingdom – Part Three (explores the question ‘what kind of consumer am I?’ and provides resources)

“Your justice is as deep as the ocean. You save both man and animal O Lord.” Psalm 36:6

Father we thank you that your eyes are continually upon the earth and its inhabitants, that your justice is as deep as the ocean, and that you endeavor to save both man and animals.  We pray for the hearts of those who commit such evil acts like what happened to this wolf, that they would know their need of you, turn from their evil ways, and choose the path of Life.  We pray that you will take what Satan meant for evil and use it for good.  Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  In the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Thank you for reading and following our work!  Please share with others!  ~Kathy