In Defense Of Animals Urges California Fish & Game Commission To Reject Black Bear Hunting Proposal

Funeral motorcade Saturday will honor bears killed in California

San Francisco, Calif. (April 9, 2010) – The California Fish & Game Commission met Wednesday to hear public comments concerning proposals to expand bear hunting across the state.  In Defense of Animals (IDA) urged the Commission to reject proposals to increase the total number of bears killed annually, expand the area dogs can be trained on live bears, and use GPS equipment and tree switches.

A funeral motorcade on Saturday sponsored by The Global Anti-Hunting Coalition (GAHC) will honor black bears and other wildlife killed for sport, extermination, and profit in California.

What:    Funeral motorcade for bears and other wildlife
When:   Saturday, April 10, 2010, 1:00 p.m.
Where:  Begins at the bison paddock in Golden Gate Park
Route:   1:30 p.m.: depart Golden Gate Park and drive towards San Rafael.
3:00 p.m.: arrive at IDA Headquarters, 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael

The modifications to the California Code of Regulations (CCR, Title 14, sections 365, 366 and 265) were proposed by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) earlier this year. The changes were not proposed because of any overpopulation of black bears in the state, but rather to increase hunting opportunities for sport hunters, and to reduce administrative inconveniences. DFG claims that the use of GPS equipment and tree switches would improve the care and monitoring of hunting dogs, whereas it would increase the likelihood of severe injury to dogs and to bears.

“It is unconscionable that dogs are allowed to molest and injure black bears in California,” said Dr. Elliot Katz, D.V.M., president of the California-based IDA. “The use of GPS and tree switches plays right into the hands of poachers who use dogs to illegally kill bears for their gall bladders, paws and other body parts. The California Fish & Game Commission should reject the proposal to allow the use of GPS equipment and tree switches, and the use of dogs to hunt bears should be outlawed.”

Using dogs to pursue black bears is also especially dangerous for dogs. It is common for black bears to injure or kill entire packs of dogs. Sows with cubs are extremely dangerous and illegal to approach, yet dogs pursue them and their cubs. Even most hunters who support “fair-chase” principles and techniques feel allowing dogs to track bears for the hunter is not “sport.”  “Sport hunting in itself should be outlawed because it is simply killing wildlife for the fun of it,” stated Dr. Elliot Katz.  “It is time we respected the other species with whom we share our lives, with whom we share the planet.”

For more information, please visit: www.idausa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Hope Bohanec, 415-448-0058, Hope@idausa.org
Dr. Elliot Katz, 415-448-0048 ext. 225