PROJECT COYOTE: Help Ban Live Coyote/Fox Bait Dog Training in Indiana

[Guest guest]

HELP BAN LIVE

COYOTE/FOX BAIT DOG TRAINING IN INDIANA

YOUR VOICE NEEDED!

 

 

On

November 17th, the Indiana Natural Resources Commission will consider several formal

petitions to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red

foxes for “penning†purposes and as live bait in the wild.

Current

loopholes in Indiana’s wildlife regulations allow the capture and killing

of coyotes and red foxes by dogs in the wild. Moreover, no rule or law exists

prohibiting the trapping and selling of coyotes and foxes in state or across

state lines to “penning†facilities where these wild canines are

then used to “train†hunting dogs in “running pens;â€

this practice is allowed for five months of the year during the furbearer

trapping season. Operators of the running pens often charge a fee for

individuals to “train†their hunting dogs on the captive coyotes

and foxes. This practice — commonly referred to as

“’penning†— violates the concept of “fair

chase†and runs counter to fundamental concepts of wildlife management.

Project

Coyote and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) strongly support a ban on these

practices. We have garnered the support of many prominent scientists, wildlife

biologists, veterinarians, and attorneys who have joined us in urging the

Commission to ban these practices (see Project

Coyote and AWI’s sign-on letter to the Commission). Moreover, the

Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) has acknowledged that there are

ecological, ethical, and disease/health related issues associated

with penning.

PLEASE

VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THESE PETITIONS! You do not need to be an Indiana

resident to voice your opinion but you do need to clearly state your city,

state, and country of residence for your comment to be officially considered

(see INDNR’s rules

about commenting). Please write a letter to the Commission urging them to

support these formal petitions to move forward with the formal rulemaking

process to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes

for “penning†purposes and as live bait in the wild. LETTERS MUST

BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 17TH!

If you

live in Indiana, please consider attending and testifying at the Commission

hearing on November 17th where they will decide whether to move forward to

preliminarily adopt these petitions and move forward with formal rulemaking

procedures. We need a good showing at this hearing! Details:

November 17

Time: 10am (EST)

Place: Fort Benjamin Harrison - The Garrison (Fort Harrison State Park)

6002 North Post Road., Indianapolis, Indiana

More info: www.in.gov./nrc/2354.htm

 

Letters

should be addressed as follows:

Indiana

Natural Resources Commission

Indiana Government Center North

100 N. Senate Ave., Rm. N501

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2200

Sent via

email: jkane

RE:

Support for proposed rules to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of

coyotes and red foxes for “penning†purposes and as live bait in

the wild

 

Dear

Commission members:

As a

concerned citizen who values wildlife, I strongly support the proposed rules to

prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for

“penning†purposes and as live bait in the wild. I strongly urge

you to move forward with the formal rulemaking process to end these brutal

practices.

POINTS

TO INCLUDE IN YOUR LETTER (please personalize your letter and use your own words

as this will have a much greater impact):

 

ETHICALLY

INDEFENSIBLE:

Capturing, transporting, marketing, and penning wild animals for dog

training is inherently cruel and should be banned for this reason alone. Pitting

domestic canines against their wild cousins is ethically indefensible.

Legislators have had the wisdom to ban dog and cock-fighting –

largely on ethical grounds – and “penning†parallels

these abhorrent practices. Penned wild coyotes and foxes are often

mutilated in a cruel and unconscionable way- as acknowledged by the

Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

ECOLOGICALLY

RECKLESS:

Transporting and marketing wild coyotes and foxes for penning purposes is

ecologically reckless. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources

explicitly stated these concerns acknowledging that trade and

transportation of wildlife is one of the primary contributors to disease

transmission and historically has led to the spread of rabies and other

diseases dangerous to wildlife, domestic animals and people.

COUNTER

TO SOUND SCIENTIFIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: Coyote and fox penning is not an effective method

of coyote and fox control as acknowledged by numerous and prominent

scientists and wildlife biologists. There is no scientific evidence to

support the claim that penning operations somehow help reduce coyote/fox

populations on a state-wide level or mitigate negative encounters with

coyotes or foxes. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has

acknowledged that there are ecological, ethical, and disease and health

related issues associated with penning. Moreover, the Midwest Association

of Fish and Wildlife Agencies passed a resolution

in 2008 urging the adoption of state-by-state regulations prohibiting the

importation or interstate movement of foxes and coyotes for the purpose of

stocking coursing pens or for release and pursuit by hounds outside of

coursing pens.

 

For these

reasons, I urge you to support the proposed rules to prohibit the taking,

killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for “penningâ€

purposes and as live bait in the wild.

Thank you

for your consideration of my comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

**FIRST & LAST NAME**

**FULL ADDRESS & COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE**

******************

 

Please

also tell the Indiana tourist authority why this ecologically reckless and

ethically indefensible practice will affect your plans to visit Indiana:

www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

 

 

To view

video clips and photos of this practice see the following links (WARNING:

disturbing and graphic content):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9c0KaLjKrI

coyoteinfo.typepad.com

www.trainingnottorture.org

news.mync.com/site/news/video/6057/Fox_and_Coyote_Hunt_Ban

www.youtube.com/user/wildlifepenning

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNVMu8jSYD8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mom_wMCNshw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gd94TA58Ag

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbb_nKIy_i4 & feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-HM

THANK

YOU FOR WRITING AND MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD! FEEL FREE TO FORWARD AND SHARE

THIS ACTION ALERT WITH OTHERS!

MORE

INFORMATION: www.ProjectCoyote.org

______________________

 

Camilla

H. Fox

Founding Director, Project Coyote

Wildlife Consultant

P.O. Box 5007

Larkspur, CA 94977

cfox

415.945.3232 (o)

 

 

Fostering educated coexistence between humans and coyotes

A project of Earth Island Institute

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us online: www.ProjectCoyote.org

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