NEW YORK ACTION ALERT

Canned hunts take place in fenced pieces of property where a hunter pays a fee to shoot a captive animal. This is as sporting as shooting puppies and kittens in a pet store.

Responding to the revulsion the public feels about this "business," two New York State legislators, Assemblyman Stringer and Senator Maltese, sponsored bills to ban canned hunts. Unfortunately, during the long legislative process the wording of the bills changed to such an extent that the BILLS NO LONGER ACCOMPLISHED THE GOAL OF BANNING CANNED HUNTS! Just a few examples of exemptions made by the bills are as follows:

• Because the word "take" was substituted with the word "shoot," weapons such as spears and archery equipment will still be permitted to torment captive animals.

• Canned hunts are allowed to proceed if they take place in an area of more than 10 acres.

• The offspring of animals are allowed to be used in canned hunts.

• Canned hunts are allowed if there is a perceived means of "escape."

Please mention the following points in your letters:

• THANK them for their interest in banning canned hunts. Ask them to SCRAP THE CURRENT BILLS and REWRITE AND SIMPLIFY THEIR BILLS so that they actually BAN CANNED HUNTS COMPLETELY. As they stand now these bills are chock full of loopholes in favor of the canned hunt industry!

• Specifically ask them to BAN CANNED HUNTS REGARDLESS OF ACREAGE.

• Explain that the LOOPHOLES in the current bills, such as permission to use spears or bow and arrows, the use of offspring of animals, and the legality of a canned hunt if there is a perceived means of "escape," are all totally unacceptable.

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