Dear Beagle Editor, Dead or Alive
The satisfaction expressed by the South Coast Hunters Club at the predicted onslaught of shooters over the long weekend is not shared by most citizens of the shire, or by members of organizations concerned with the protection of native animals and the environment, and the welfare of vulnerable children.
Council is determined to proceed with this event, which now that it is under the banner of the Australian Sporting Shooters Association makes little attempt on its web-site to cover up its main objective as being as sale of guns! (What a well-known senior citizen feared when she announced at an earlier protest meeting , “We did not work to build a Sports and Recreation centre in Narooma to have it become a retail outlet for guns!)
Among the many highly respected groups opposed to the celebration and continuation of hunting and the proliferation of guns are the A.M.A, the Alannah and Madeline foundation, Coastwatchers, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party.
The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states unequivocally that it is opposed to the hunting of any animal for sport as it causes unnecessary injury, suffering, distress or death to the prey animal. The term “hunting for sport” includes hunting with hounds, coursing, pig hunting and all forms of recreational shooting (e.g. kangaroo shooting. Duck, quail and other game shooting).(Policy E4.2 Hunting of Wild animals)
The RSPCA also rejects the claim made by recreational hunters that they are benefiting the environment by killing pest animals. The report states.
“The only circumstances where licenced hunters could be used for pest animal control would be as part of a government supervised management program with mandatory competency assessment .”
This doesn’t sound much like HuntFest where hunting is promoted as a fun family activity and gun ownership is advocated as desirable and attainable for anyone with licence that is easily obtained from the local hunting club.
Attendance at the Animals in the Wild photographic exhibition at the Bodalla Post Office Gallery on the weekend of HuntFest is a wonderful alternative for those people who don’t think killing is cause for celebration and who believe that wherever possible we should care for, not kill, bush birds and animals, protect our children and our nature coast reputation, and SHOOT WITH A CAMERA. NOT WITH A GUN.
Name and address supplied
