To all those voting, please…

To all those voting, please vote NAY to this ban reversal!

I’m deeply disturbed that Ontario plans to reverse a province-wide ban on cruel new “train and trial areas”, where hunters participate in the blood sport of penned dog hunting. I firmly reject the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s proposal to allow new licenses and the transfer of licenses for train and trial areas in Ontario.

Ontario passed a law in 1997 to phase out new penned hunting facilities for good reason. Penned hunting is incredibly cruel to the coyotes, foxes, and rabbits who are used as live bait and are chased and killed by packs of dogs. The dogs forced to participate can also suffer from injuries and death.

In addition to animal cruelty, penned hunting is a public health risk. The trade and transportation of wildlife is a major contributor to the spread of disease and parasites, including zoonotic diseases that can infect wildlife, domestic animals, and humans.

Research is clear: more than four out of five Canadians are against hunting animals for sport. No other Canadian province allows penned dog hunting, and the cruel practice is unlawful in most of the United States.

Please do the right thing for animals and public health—don’t undo all of the progress made to phase out penned hunting facilities. Your government should instead focus on strengthening the existing legislation, and shutting down the few remaining train and trial areas in the province.