The New York Legislature recently passed a bill that would help protect approximately 7,000 of the state's wild black bears by ending most commercial trade of bear gallbladders and bile. However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to sign this important bill into law - please urge him to sign the bill today.

Although the new law will not enact a complete ban on the trade of bear gallbladders and bile, as the original bill proposed, it will initiate several major improvements to the state's bear protection laws, including putting in place highly restrictive measures related to trade of bear gallbladders or bile.

Sign the petition and urge Governor Cuomo to sign this important legislation into law today.

Dear Governor Cuomo,

The New York Legislature recently passed a bill that would help protect approximately 7,000 of the state's wild black bears by ending most commercial trade of bear gallbladders and bile. However, you have yet to sign this important piece of legislation into law -- I am urging you to sign the bill today.

The new law, once signed, will enact several major improvements to the state's bear protection laws, including putting highly restrictive measures in place related to trade of bear gallbladder and bile. It will set fines of up to $5,000 for violations -- a penalty that will serve as a strong deterrent for wildlife crimes. Additionally, it will require taxidermists to keep detailed registries of traded gallbladders and bile, which could be used as evidence by law enforcement officers when prosecuting perpetrators.

Although it will not enact a complete ban on the trade of bear gallbladders and bile, as the original bill proposed, this law will be a major improvement when compared to the previous lack of restrictions. New York, one of only five states currently lacking restrictions on the trade of bear gallbladder and bile, has been a haven for bear gallbladder and bile poachers because of the lack of restrictions.

[Your comments will be added here]

Please support efforts to improve bear protection in New York by signing this important piece of legislation today.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]