AUSTRALIA- thousands of animals will endure horrendous, prolonged deaths - pls h

[Guest guest]

-

Teresa WLPA

Siebie

Friday, January 13, 2006 2:14 AM

URGENT: AUSTRALIA- thousands of animals will endure horrendous,

prolonged deaths - pls help us to stop killing for fun

 

 

Thousands of animals will endure horrendous, prolonged, painful deaths - torn

apart by hunting dogs or dying slowly of wounds inflicted by bullets or

crossbows ..

 

Dear all

This is an URGENT action we ask you to take. Please help us to stop this

barbaric killing. How?

By 4th February 2006 send your letter to Ian Macdonald (Minister for Primary

Industries) & copy it to Game Council, Greens & Gun Control (details towards

the end of this email). Please pass this message to your friends.

 

 

Thank you for caring

 

- Teresa

i*******************************************************************

The World League for Protection of Animals Box 211 Gladesville 2111.

 

Killing for fun is now a function of government

 

 

 

Crossbows, rifles and dogs to be used

 

 

 

You can help stop the killing! Let's start by asking -

 

 

 

What's happening?

 

a.. The general public has been given 30 days to comment on the

announcement by NSW Natural Resources Minister, Ian Macdonald, that licensed

recreational

hunters will use crossbows, rifles and dogs to hunt and kill feral cats,

dogs, deer, goats, pigs and foxes in State Forests and on public lands. This

will

occur after a two day trial in four locations.

 

Who is managing this program?

 

a.. The program will be managed by the Game Council, a body representing

licensed game hunters and dominated by nominees of hunting organisations.

 

What are the problems with this?

 

a.. Leader of the Democrats, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans said when Game

Council legislation was discussed in Parliament: " The bill assumes that the Game

Council and hunters have the same interests in controlling feral animals as

do conservationists. However, the conservationists do not get a say into what

happens. It could be argued that Dracula is in charge of the blood bank. "

 

a.. The Game Council represents hunters. Not the wider community. And

certainly not the animal welfare/rights movement. There are widely different

views

about killing for pleasure. It is the role of Government to ensure

accountability to the general public through involving relevant sectors of the

community

in such a controversial program. This is not occurring.

 

What are the human issues?

 

a.. The link between violence towards animals and violence towards people

is now well-established. Violence leads to violence.

 

a.. Recent research shows evidence of a relationship between hunting and

illegal aggression. (Co-occurrence of Human Violence, Criminal Behaviour and

Animal Abuse: Implications for Hunting Behaviour - Elleonora Gulllone Dept of

Psychology Monash University)

 

a.. At a time when our society is nominally opposed to violence and gun

use, it is actually promoting both these things by passing legislation which

attempts to legitimise killing as a pastime

 

a.. Shooting is dangerous - for people as well as animals, one study

showing that on average 560 Australians are hospitalised every year as a result

of

injuries from firearms. The hunting rifle is the most common type of firearm

used in both accidental and self-inflicted injuries.

 

a.. In bringing the Game Act into force, this government must stand

condemned in the eyes of all who oppose violence and cruelty and all who wish

our

bushland areas to remain safe for the people of NSW - and its animals - to

enjoy.

 

What does " feral " mean?

 

a.. The Collins Concise Dictionary gives as one of the meanings of feral,

" savage, brutal " , from the Latin ferus, meaning savage. We might ask: whom

should we therefore label " feral " ? Animals brought to this country in horrific

conditions for our profit and amusement? Or those of our own species who derive

pleasure from killing, or are prepared to endorse this cruelty?

Is hunting a " recreational and cultural exercise? "

 

a.. The Game Council's acting chief executive, Brian Boyle, sees hunting as

a recreational and cultural exercise. It is alarming that a person with such

a viewpoint is managing this program. We wonder how recreational the animals

find it. We also wonder at a culture that enjoys seeing animals suffer and die.

 

Will the program reduce numbers of feral animals and help preserve wildlife?

 

a.. It's unlikely. Long experience shows that fast-breeding so-called

" pest " species are unlikely to be wiped out by recreational hunting.

 

a.. The major source of feral dogs is lost or abandoned hunting dogs.

Killing cats will result in substantial increases in numbers of rabbits, rats,

mice

and some introduced bird species. It is clear that species

inter-relationships have simply not been considered.

 

a.. Hunters want to ensure the continuing presence of their quarry. If they

kill all or most of them, they will be robbed of the pleasure of hunting them.

 

a.. A State Government enquiry into feral animals revealed that hunters

deliberately release pigs into the wild so as to provide the targets they find

pleasure in killing. The release of foxes into Tasmania has also been considered

the work of recreational hunters.

 

a.. The strength of hunter commitment to kill only feral animals must be

open to doubt. It was only after strong public condemnation of proposed

legislation which allowed the killing of a range of species, that the emphasis

moved

to killing feral animals.

 

Policing hunter behaviour in remote areas is next to impossible.

 

 

a.. However ineffective the Game Council will be in reducing numbers of

introduced animals or protecting native wildlife, it is very effective in using

politicians to achieve its own ends. Its funding has been increased and it is

to expand its activities in the areas of research and education - areas

critical in influencing public opinion. The likelihood of undesirable

attitudinal

outcomes resulting from this research and education is enormous.

 

a.. In a conference organised by the Australian Museum Society in 1997, the

point was made that only 15% of Australian species have as yet been

identified, and that we are blundering around the environment " like an elephant

in a

pansy patch " . In-depth discussion of threats to biodiversity at the conference

led to no mention of feral animals, but focussed on what is generally regarded

as the prime cause of species loss - human activity, especially human

destruction and disturbance of habitat.

· It is more difficult to preserve and protect habitat than it is to

kill feral animals. But unless the fundamental issue of placing limits on

human encroachment on the natural environment is addressed, species loss will

substantially increase with disastrous consequences for the human and non-human

inhabitants of this once richly diverse continent.

 

 

a.. As long as the Game Act and the Game Council are in operation, the

suffering will continue. Unless we win this battle, there is little doubt that

regardless of the views expressed in the " consultation " period, our forested

areas will be thrown open to the killing, making them unsafe for general

recreation and with many animals, both introduced and native, dying often slow

and

horrific deaths from crossbows and rifles or torn apart by dog attack.

What can You do?

 

 

1) By 4th February 2006 send your letter to:

 

Ian Macdonald, Minister for Primary Industries,

 

Address: Level 33 Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 9228 3344 (if phoning from outside Australia - 61 2 9228 3344)

Fax: (02) 9228 3452 (if faxing from outside Australia - 61 2 9228 3452)

Email: macdonald.office

 

 

 

and make a copy to:

 

- Brian Boyle Acting CEO, Game Council

 

Address: PO Box 2506, Orange, New South Wales, Australia, 2800

 

Ph: (02) 6360 5100 (if phoning from outside Australia - 61 2 6360 5100)

 

Fax: (02) 6361 2093 (if faxing from outside Australia - 61 2 6361 2093)

 

Email: ceo

 

 

 

- Lee Rhiannon MLC, The Greens

Email: lee.rhiannon

 

 

 

- Sam Lee , Gun Control Australia

 

Email: ncguncontrol

 

 

 

For your convenience please find e-mail addresses in the block below. Just

copy and paste as follows:

 

 

 

macdonald.office;

 

Cc: ceo; lee.rhiannon;

ncguncontrol

 

 

 

Courteously express your deep concern at the proposal and ask that the

program not go ahead. You may wish to use some of the points made in this paper

-

but it's a good idea to use some of your own thoughts, ideas and concerns as

well.

 

 

 

2) Write and/or speak to your local State Member of Parliament. Courteously

ask them to listen to your concerns and oppose the proposed program. If you

feel strongly about this cruelty, you may want to let the Minister and your

State

Member of Parliament know that, come election time, your vote will go to the

person or party that works to put an end to the Game Act and Game Council.

 

 

 

For your information:

 

· The Greens have consistently opposed the Game Act.

 

· Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, leader of the Democrats, has opposed

this Act.

 

· Some Independent candidates may oppose it.

 

 

 

Spread the word . . .

 

Talk to friends.

 

Raise the issue on talkback radio.

 

Get the message out . . .

 

 

 

Vote " No! " to killing for pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

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