Annie Smith has described herself in legislative testimony as an animal activist. "We do this all in our free time and push other things aside because it is so important to us, others, and the planet as a whole," she said to the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish, and Wildlife.
WESTMINSTER-Hounding is when a bunch of dogs are purposely let loose to chase and attack wild animals. They are unsupervised and are often miles away from the hound-hunters, who often hang out in their trucks.
These hounds run on other people's property, attack and eviscerate animals (including non-target species), and cause terror to the animals who fall victim to them.
The dogs themselves are horribly mistreated. They are mostly kenneled and caged - outdoors, 24/7, unless they are hounding. The training methods are not sophisticated, nor are they humane. It is legalized dog fighting.
Hound-hunters purposely send their dogs out to be injured and eviscerated. They egg them on and goad them to fight.
A hound's injuries will not be treated with veterinary care. No individual is going to purposely send their dogs out to fight and then spend thousands on veterinary bills. These dogs are pawns and disposable. They can be punched, kicked, goaded, starved, and shot - with no repercussions.
Who is in control of all this? Vermont Fish & Wildlife, a state agency run not by the Vermont public but by a small group of pro-hunting, -trapping, and -hounding enthusiasts. Those who head Vermont Fish & Wildlife, and their fans, regularly pose with dead animals and advocate trophy hunting on their social media posts.
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The Legislature has allowed this small group of individuals to regulate themselves with no oversight - and with dire consequences.
In 2019, an experienced hiking couple and their dog were attacked in Ripton by a pack of hunting hounds for over 45 minutes. No hound-hunter was in the vicinity. There were no laws broken in Vermont, which gave this poor couple and their dog - all of whom sustained injuries - little recourse.
Nobody has control of any dog if that dog is visually out of sight and hearing distance of their owner or handler. Hound-hunters do not maintain control over their dogs and are not legally required to.
Vermont Fish & Wildlife and hound-hunters claim there is control because hounds are on GPS collars. A GPS collar is not a control mechanism. Pet and companion dogs are usually far better trained, socialized, and well-behaved than hunting hounds. Again, these dogs are used for animal fighting. They are not beloved family pets or companions.
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Hounders and those at Vermont Fish and Wildlife will say they are protecting wildlife and Vermonters from bears and other wild animals and practicing conservation. This is blatantly untrue. Landowners and Vermont non-hunting residents are constantly harassed by hounders and have no recourse.
If hounders and hunters regulate themselves, how is there any oversight or enforcement? If game wardens don't ethically like how their bosses operate, what are they supposed to do?
The Legislature needs to take action and be responsible. The fact that hunters can send dogs out to chase and harass wildlife with no supervision is outrageous.
Hounding is a recreational sport practiced by a few. It has no place in conservation. It is a threat to public safety and disrespectful to Vermont landowners, residents, pets, livestock, the wild animals who fall victim to hounds, and the poor couple and their dog who were attacked in 2019 for nearly an hour.
Hounding needs to be banned permanently.
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