This latest Ontario news is keeping me awake at night.
Penned dog hunting is being increased, but only in Ontario. It involves trapping wild coyotes, foxes, and rabbits and putting them in enclosures so that dogs can chase and attack them, day after day.
New licenses for penned dog hunting facilities were banned in 1997 but 24 of these facilities are still operating in Ontario. Instead of shutting them down, the Ford government is reopening licensing so more people can set their dogs on wild animals in cages.
Everything about penned dog hunting is cruel.
Undercover conservation authorities report that coyotes and other animals are caught with traps that can break their legs. Either that or they are chased to exhaustion as hunters keep switching out fresh dogs to keep up the pursuit. If they survive this, they are then stuffed into dog crates and held in barns before being sold to the penned hunting facilities just to be hunted again and again.
No wonder penned dog hunting doesn’t happen in any other province. A previous PC government even started phasing it out in Ontario, so why does the current one want to bring it back?
Many readers will feel as sickened as I do by this cruelty and suffering of our wildlife.
What sort of people do we have running this province?
Lesley Hastie,
Town of Huntsville.
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Louise Parrott says
The wanton cruelty of some humans continues to astound me. It is sooo disturbing!! Beyond words.
Trina MacLea says
People that do this or allow this are twisted and have a cruel heart in my opinion.
No animal on this earth deserves such cruelty.
Ban this hanous act!
Brenda Begg says
Indeed! What sort of people do we have running this province?! I am speechless and horrified that this sadistic ‘sport’ is happening and, in our own backyard.
I am saddened, horrified, and worried that there actually are people who participate in this “twisted” form of hunting.
Alayne Ebenhardt says
I am in utter disbelief mode, but that solves nothing. So what are we going to do about this unconscionable crime?
There is a law firm in Toronto … “Animal Justice” … on King Street. Its agenda deals with desperate animals in need of help. You might want to research their astonishing website.
Nancy Long says
Truly horrifying! Animal cruelty for sure
Tracey Rast says
I could not agree with you more, Lesley! Thank you for bringing this to our collective attention. Who would have thought that such a barbaric practice still persists to this day, and that our provincial government is thinking of bringing it back?! Perhaps there is a petition that needs to be circulated?
Merrill Perret says
This whole business is shocking. It is disgusting enough that we still allow existing operators to continue, but to consider additional licences is detestable.
One might wrinkle one’s nose reading about such facilities in a third world African country (they do exist,) but in Ontario? It stinks, and Doug and his Conservative MPPs are responsible for the stench.
Barbara Hollingworth says
I am a member of Animal Justice and am having a difficult time living with the knowledge of this practice not only existing but now more of this killing fields having been legalized , as of last week. I have written a letter to the Globe, which I am hoping they will publish, or at least get one of their investigative political reporters to do a piece. I’m also writing a different letter on the same subject and sending it out to all the local papers in Ontario I have on file. It is astounding how many people have not heard about these horrible areas. Barbara
Brenda Begg says
Thank you, Barbara H. for being proactive. In this day and age, it’s mind boggling that such atrocities are happening.
Liam Den Boer says
Disgusting