In response to “Hunters not Heartless” in Dec. 20 paper, following “Dog shot during walk on family’s property”, Dec.6
I am appalled by Mr. Whetham’s response of this hurtful incident.
Sarah McKay was not trying to make ALL hunters look like heartless criminals, and I am sorry that you took it as a personal attack. I believe all large property owners deal with these issues on a regular basis. In Mrs. McKay’s letter she clearly stated that they have No Hunting signs posted, and that every year they take down forts that are not supposed to be there. If a hunter has seen that their fort is dismantled, should that not that be a hint on its own to go find a proper place to hunt? Let alone all of the signage?
My friend has property in Belwood. Hunters are constantly on it, and they even hear shots right by their house. She owns a dog and she fears letting him out on HER OWN PROPERTY. She has taken extra precautions by tying a bright red scarf around his neck to be sure he is not mistaken for a coyote, as well as distributes no hunting signs to protect the property. People should not have to live in fear of hunters, nor of going outside.
Mrs. McKay’s dog was a black lab. Unless the hunter thought he/she was shooting a black bear (which is comical in itself), this should not have happened. And if these “dogs have been running free and have been a problem trespassing”, what makes it right for this person to trespass back and shoot it without investigating if it has a home, or calling the pound instead of taking matters into their own hands? A lot of scenarios can be driven with “maybes”, and the only person who will know the truth is the one who shot this poor dog.
If people are going to be participating in activities such as hunting they need to man up, take responsibility for their own actions, and think of how things would be if the tables were turned.
There are good hunters and bad hunters, just as there are good people and bad people. Not everyone follows the rules, and if their dog was shot on their own property then the person(s) who shot him had no business being there. In a lot of cases, good hunters ask permission to hunt on someone’s property. They also let them know when and where they will be on the property so the owner is aware. This is a great courtesy and can help to avoid future incidents such as this one.
Whether intentional or not, this is a big problem that extends further than anyone can deal with. Let’s take this as a lesson, to anyone who is participating in any outdoor activity, as next time it may not be a dog but a human.
Heather Andrews
Guelph
Heather Andrews