Idaho Supreme Court won't reinstate Wolf People license

SANDPOINT — The Idaho Supreme Court is declining to reinstate Wolf People's exhibition license while the business appeals its one-year suspension.

The high court issued the denial on Nov. 19, 1st District Court records show.

The Idaho Department of Fish & Game suspended Wolf People's exhibition license earlier this year for allowing tourists at the Cocolalla-based business to have direct contact with wolves and for failing to secure a bond to ensure conformance with a 2012 consent agreement.

The consent agreement was meant to resolve 43 license violations, although its overarching goal was to prevent guests at Wolf People from touching live wolves by using a system of barriers, according to licensing action records.

Wolf People appealed the license suspension in district court, but 2nd District Judge Jay Gaskill upheld  the state's action. Wolf People's counsel argued the suspension violated founder Nancy Taylor's right to due process, but Gaskill held that Taylor was afforded due process through the administrative license proceedings.

Wolf People's appeal of Gaskill's ruling was stayed while the Supreme Court considered a stay of the licensing action. Briefing and oral arguments on the appeal will now commence, according to Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Trever, who serves as Fish & Game's counsel in the matter.

Taylor said in an affidavit that business is down by as much as 75 percent and blames the downturn on newspaper coverage of her licensing troubles with the state. Taylor said she's had to turn away tour groups and numerous requests for tours.

"I feel irreparable damage has been done to my business because many people left so disgusted that they could no longer see wolves here that they will never come back," Taylor said in the affidavit.

Wolf People's licensing troubles date back to 2011. Fish & Game contended that Wolf People was failing to report the births and deaths of captive wolves, transferring and transporting the predators without permission and failing to report the escape of a wolf.