Left Sidebartransparent

Bird Dogs' Birthright

Animal Rights Shelters versus Hunting Dogs

 

 

In another blog post about the fawns I helped raise after they were orphaned during the Mt St Helens eruption, I proclaimed, “I’m an animal advocate, not a hunter helper.” And that’s true.

But I’m not a zealot. I am an animal welfare advocate, not an animal rights crusader.

What’s the difference? Here’s an example.

One summer I worked at a humane society that advocated for animal rights. Most of the people on its board were vegans and vegetarians. All well and good. People can support animal well-being six ways from Sunday and I will honor them for doing so in nearly every case. The less pain and suffering we inflict on animals, the better I’ll feel.

The thing that upset me so about my summer at the animal shelter was this: They would euthanize (humanely put to death) healthy, happy, eager Labrador or Golden Retrievers—young or old—before they would adopt them out to a pheasant or other bird hunter!

 

I was absolutely floored by that.  I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. “You’ll kill a dog instead of allowing it to pursue the passion for which it was bred?”

Hunting is legal. I well remember how far off the floor our lab, Snazzy, would jump every fall when Dad took his pheasant-hunting gun off rack. Snazzy would go ape!  He would dance, sing, bark, leap, and gyrate in every direction. He was goin’ huntin’!!!!

To me, there is no legitimate reason to refuse to adopt a hunting dog to a hunter. A hunter’s legal right to hunt is as American as apple pie. We may choose not do it ourselves, but putting available, adoptable dogs to death because we don’t like hunting or hunters is ludicrous!

If an animal has “rights” at all, it would seem to me that the pursuit of happiness—in a field of wild, wily, windrow-hidden pheasants—isn’t where to draw the line in the sand.

Hunting dogs shouldn’t have the choice to live or die made for them by animal rights people.  Killing a healthy, happy dog is not an approved method, in my humble opinion, of saying “Screw you!” to hunters.

I’m on the dogs’ side, here. In the earlier blog post, I was on the fawns’ side. So for those who consider me inconsistent, I’m pointing out the consistency here.

I see the difference. I feel it in my bones. I hope you do, too.

 

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.