AR-News: Help Ban Canned Hunts in New York

[Jill Kiesow]

Help Ban Canned Hunts in New York
Please Urge Governor Pataki to Sign Bill Outlawing of Shooting Tame, Exotic 
Animals

Recently, the New York State legislature passed A4609a and S2735a, which 
would extend the ban on canned hunts in the state. To become law, the 
legislation must be signed by Governor George Pataki. Please contact 
Governor Pataki today and urge him to sign the legislation banning canned 
hunts.

Canned hunts take place in enclosed areas where exotic or native animals 
are confined, either by fence or wall, and hunted by those who pay a fee. 
Most canned hunt operations offer a guaranteed kill, as there is no way for 
hunted animals to escape from the enclosed area. Many of these animals are 
raised in close proximity to humans and have no fear of them, giving trophy 
hunters an easy target. In some situations, the animals trot out to a 
vehicle, expecting to be fed.

Canned hunting operations also pose a health threat to native wildlife. 
Exotic animals kept in close proximity to native wildlife may more easily 
spread diseases (such as chronic wasting disease). Video footage of canned 
shoots indicates that because the animals are shot for trophies, they are 
generally not killed quickly by shots to the head. They are instead riddled 
with bullets or arrows in other parts of their bodies, resulting in long 
and tortuous deaths.

Current New York law prohibits canned hunting on ten acres or less. The 
legislation awaiting Governor Pataki's signature would prohibit all canned 
hunting operations, regardless of acreage. Although many shooting 
operations cover several hundred acres, guides usually find the animals 
trapped by a fence or in corners. After the practice was outlawed in 
Oregon, a 2,200-acre game preserve was closed. Canned hunting is banned in 
seven other states.

What You Can Do
Please contact Governor Pataki and urge him to sign into law legislation 
extending the ban on canned hunts. (See sample letter below.)

Governor George Pataki
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
518-474-3767 fax
www.state.ny.us/governor


----------
Please email a copy of your letter to Brian Vincent 
(bvincent at api4animals.org) at API or send via snailmail to:
Brian Vincent
API
P.O. Box 22505
Sacramento, CA 95822

----------

Sample Letter
Governor George Pataki
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Pataki:

It has come to my attention that the New York State Assembly and Senate 
have passed A4609a and S2735a to ban "canned shoots," the trophy shooting 
of tame, non-native mammals who are kept captive on fenced preserves. 
Please sign this important legislation into law.

There is nothing sporting about shooting a tame animal trapped against a 
fence, and this activity violates the hunters' ethic of "fair chase." 
Captive animals at canned shoots can also spread dangerous diseases to our 
native wildlife populations. Please make this unethical and biologically 
reckless activity illegal by signing this important legislation into law.

Thank you. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
E-MAIL

----------
(Special thanks to The Fund for Animals and The Humane Society of the 
United States for providing information for this alert.)

----------

Posted by the Animal Protection Institute
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/attachments/20030714/08447feb/attachment.html