ISSAQUAH -- The state's Wolf Advisory Group met Wednesday amid ongoing controversy surrounding the killing of the Profanity Peak wolf pack in Ferry County.

Opponents said there was no reason the state should have order all 11 wolves in the pack to be killed.
State Fish and Wildlife agents said they are precisely following state protocol when it comes to removing a wolf pack.

The order came after a dozen cows were found injured or killed by the pack. It is the first time wolves have been killed using the new protocol that was finalized in May. It was created based on input from 18 wolf groups over the course of a year.

Even groups who helped form the wolf removal protocol are expressing some regrets.
The head of the Humane Society, Wayne Pacelle, said the killing of the Profanity Peak wolf pack has been the worst-case scenario.

“It has deeply saddened us, as these wolves did what comes naturally to them when someone placed cattle right in the center of their range,” Pacelle said.

The pack was killed on federal grazing land and the state defends the wolf removal by saying the cows that were killed were not placed near the den.

Half of the Profanity Peak pack have been killed, according to officials. It does not appear there have been any more cow deaths.

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