Animal Charities
Fund for Animals Praises Passage of Canned Shoot Bill in New York Legislature--Urges Governor Pataki to Sign Bill 6/20/2003
The Fund for Animals praised the New York legislature for passing a bill today to ban the shooting of tame, exotic mammals for trophies at fenced "canned shoots." The legislation now moves to Governor Pataki's desk, and The Fund is urging him to quickly sign the bill into law.
New York State law currently bans the shooting of non-native mammals only if they are staked, tied, or kept captive on ten acres or less. The new legislation bans the trophy shooting of these animals in captivity regardless of acreage.
The Fund points out that whether on ten acres or a thousand, the animals are tame, hand-fed, bred in captivity, or even purchased from zoos or circuses. The animals have no fear of humans, and have neither the inclination nor the ability to escape--hunting "guides" trap the animals in corners of fences or lure them to feed so their clients have a guaranteed shot from point-blank range. They are so sure of success that they advertise as "No Kill, No Pay."
"Most hunters would never even consider shooting a Corsican ram trapped in the corner of a fence," said Michael Markarian, President of The Fund for Animals, "or a zebra ambling up to a feed truck to eat from someone's hand. It's just about as sporting as shooting a puppy in the window of a pet store."
Video footage of canned shoots indicates that because the animals are shot for trophies, they are generally not killed quickly by shots to the head. They are instead riddled with bullets or arrows in other parts of their bodies, resulting in long and tortuous deaths.
Canned shoots are also breeding grounds for contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, and chronic wasting disease. Captive animals are more susceptible to diseases and can spread them to native wildlife populations--diseases originating at canned shoots and game farms have decimated native deer and elk herds in the West, and have cost taxpayers millions of dollars for eradication programs.
"We commend the Senators and Assembly members who represented their constituents around the state and voted to end this unsporting, inhumane, and biologically reckless practice," added Markarian. "By signing this bill, Governor Pataki can finally put the lid on New York's canned shoots."
The legislation, S2735 and A4609, was sponsored and led to victory by Senator Frank Padavan of Queens and Assemblyman Scott Stringer of Manhattan.
More information on canned shoots is available at The Fund for Animals' web site, www.cannedhunts.com.
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