Overview
- The PEACE Act (Initiative Petition 28) would remove many exemptions in Oregon’s animal-cruelty laws, effectively criminalizing hunting, fishing, livestock slaughter, pest control and much animal research while retaining self-defense and veterinary exceptions.
- Campaign organizers say the measure would extend pet-level protections to species such as salmon, deer, cattle and lab animals if voters approve it in November.
- The proposal creates a Humane Transition Fund and a Transitional Oversight Council to provide income replacement, job retraining, food assistance and coverage of animal care costs for those affected.
- The Oregon Hunters Association says it will mount an opposition campaign if the initiative qualifies, and two state senators from opposing parties warn of harm to wildlife management and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife funding under a hunting and fishing ban.
- Opponents caution about economic fallout to businesses and agriculture, citing a 2022 estimate that animal agriculture contributed $4.4 billion to Oregon’s output and supported more than 30,000 jobs, while supporters frame ballot qualification itself as a strategic milestone.