“Lethal Control” Film Screening – Jackson Hole
Wyoming Untrapped is honored to be a
co-sponsor of the Jackson Hole Screening of “Lethal Control”.
October 17, 2019, 7 pm, National Museum of Wildlife Art:
For Immediate Release – October 7, 2019
Available for Interview:
Jamie Drysdale, (802) 249-8674. Email: thejamiedrysdale@gmail.com
Contact:
Erik Molvar, Executive Director, Western Watersheds Project, (307) 399-7910
Andrea Santarsiere, Senior Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity, (303) 854-7748
Kristin Combs, Executive Director, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, (307) 413-4116
Brooks Fahy, Executive Director, Predator Defense, (541) 520-6003
Connie Wilbert, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter, (307) 460-8046
Lisa Robertson, Board President, Wyoming Untrapped, (307) 690-9528
Documentary on M-44 ‘Cyanide Bombs’ Comes to Jackson
JACKSON, WY – Montana filmmaker Jamie Drysdale’s documentary film, Lethal Control, will make its Wyoming debut at a screening on October 17 at 7:00 pm at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
The film screening will be accompanied by a panel discussion led by Western Watersheds Project’s Erik Molvar, Kristin Combs of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, Andrea Santarsiere of the Center for Biological Diversity, Connie Wilbert of Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter, and Lisa Robertson of Wyoming Untrapped. Members of the Mansfield family, whose child and dog were sprayed by cyanide from an M-44 set by Wildlife Services outside Pocatello in 2017 will also be present to speak about their experience and their fight for the ban of M-44s.
The film was Drysdale’s final project while getting his Masters of Environmental Journalism from the University of Montana. The documentary provides penetrating insights into the costs and consequences of USDA Wildlife Services’ use of M-44 ‘cyanide bombs’ to kill native carnivores at the behest of the livestock industry.
Drysdale traveled to Washington, D.C. to present the documentary at a congressionally-sponsored screening on Capitol Hill organized by Predator Defense and the International Fund for Animal Welfare on April 2nd of this year. The film was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) who is sponsoring federal legislation to make the use of M-44s — by federal agencies or anyone else — a criminal offense nationwide (photos available upon request).
“The stories surrounding M-44 cyanide ejectors that I encountered in my reporting were so raw, universally alarming, and so under-covered in the media,” said Drysdale. “I knew I had the potential to create something compelling that was personally meaningful and had a real chance to make a difference.”
The film takes an up close and personal look at the impacts of lethal predator control focusing on the use by the federal government of M-44 cyanide ejector devices. M-44s are currently used by the federal government on both public and private land in 14 states, including Wyoming. These “cyanide bombs” have caused serious injuries to unsuspecting people, deaths of beloved family pets and indiscriminant killing of other non-target wildlife.
In 2017, 14 year-old Canyon Mansfield, out for a walk with his dog Kasey near their family home in Pocatello, Idaho, came across one of these devices which look like an odd sprinkler head. When he touched it a powdery substance exploded from the device. His dog Kasey died a horrifying death within minutes in front of him and Canyon has suffered long-term health effects from the poison.
“The Mansfield family’s reaction to the tragedy was to take action,” said Drysdale. “Canyon’s perseverance in his quest for justice for his yellow lab was such an inspiration for me.”
“Not one more child should be injured from these deadly cyanide bombs, and not one more family pet should be murdered,” said Theresa Mansfield, the mother of Canyon Mansfield.
In addition to Canyon’s story, the film also includes interviews with other M-44 victims (including Dennis Slaugh, who suffered long-term complications resulting from his poisoning by an M-44 before dying in 2018), current and former Wildlife Services employees, environmental professionals, scientists, and local law enforcement officials.
Jamie Drysdale’s Bio
Jamie Drysdale grew up in Vermont and graduated from Ithaca College in 2006 with degree in Politics and Media. He moved out to Idaho shortly afterwards and through jobs as an outdoor educator and organic farmer, as well as a few summers in the US Forest Service, he became very well acquainted with the myriad of environmental issues interwoven with life in the West. Seeking to further his abilities to turn these issues into stories, Jamie pursued a graduate degree from the University of Montana in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism, “Lethal Control” was his thesis film. Jamie Graduated in 2018 and now lives with his girlfriend, their two cats and their dog Blueberry in Stevensville, Montana.
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