Much like the political left and guns or the right with welfare, I am about to condemn an entire group based the negligent acts of a few. I am speaking of hunters — specifically, the ones that use dogs.
Let’s be clear, I don’t care if people hunt; “to each his own” is my motto on most matters. However, I am tired of seeing this starved, injured animals wash up on my Jones County doorstep like they’re refugees from Cuba or some other third-world cesspool.
It goes completely against my grain to cast such a wide, generalizing net, but it has become ridiculous.
Every month or so, another former hunting dog staggers up to my front door. It’s always the same — they are starving, skinny and, generally, in poor health. I do not mind attempting to help. That is a small price for me to pay in aiding another of God’s creatures.
I do the best I can with the limited resources I have and give the poor animal some food and water. However, I’m sure that they will either get hit by a car or killed by another animal as opposed to finding a home. Taking them to a shelter seems almost like certain death these days, too.
I get that many people, particularly in these parts, do not view animals (especially dogs) as I do. My dog, Daisy, is part of my family.
The flip side is many use dogs as tools, accessories or as yard decorations. These hunting dogs (and they are mostly hounds of some kind, hence the assumption) are used up, dropped off and left for dead if they don’t perform or it’s too inconvenient to search for the animal once it is lost.
To be frank, I know I continually hear that hunting is a “sport.” And if you use a bow and are hunting something that could potentially do you harm, then it probably is, to some degree, a sport. I don’t quite get it, and I will totally admit that I haven’t done it so I’m unknowledgeable to the sport.
However, it doesn’t seem real sporty to me when the odds are so heavily tilted in one direction or the other. The idea of sport is that both sides have a chance to win, correct?
Deer stands, pheromone scents, dogs and a high-powered cannon versus an unarmed animal seems a bit one-sided. It’s sort of like one side in a football game with 11 players and pads while the other side has five guys and no pads.
However, I am not here to belittle hunting. I am here to speak to the hunters that use dogs and DO NOT properly take care of these animals. I am speaking to the ones that see these dogs much like they view bullets, beer or an orange cap, where they can discard at will and purchase some more.
Dogs are living, breathing creatures — leaving these animals for someone else to clean up or watch die is just flat wrong and cruel.
I am sure this message will never reach the attention of those that really need to see it. I am sure I will be portrayed as a liberal, bleeding heart out to destroy some sort of “tradition.”
Allow me to say this: I may be liberal politically, but I am not here to destroy anything and I would be more than happy to prove otherwise, if necessary. I simply feel for these animals in the same manner I feel for anything being taken advantage of in a cruel manner.
However, this is not about me, it’s about the hunting dogs not being cared for properly. All I ask is that you treat them with the same respect as you would your truck, rifle or whatever. I know it’s too much to ask that you treat these dogs with an iota of respect, but cruelty can be avoided.
Please, just do the right thing.
Richard Clark is the consolidated desk chief for Halifax ENC; his column appears in this space every Sunday. You can reach him at 910-219-8452 or at Richard.Clark@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at kpaws22.