To Graydon Smith MPP,…

To Graydon Smith MPP, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry,

In 1997, the Ontario Government, under Mike Harris phased-out train and trial areas, grandfathered the existing facilities, prohibited the transfer of licenses, and ended the issuance of licenses for new facilities.

The issuance of new licenses through a one-time, 90-day application period; and,
the transfer of existing licenses to new operators is a REGRESSIVE proposal as it is CRUEL and DANGEROUS to both the captive wild animal in a penned in area as well as to the dog hunting the wild animal.

Hunting pens are inhumane and unethical. Wild animals such as foxes, coyotes, and rabbits are captured and held in captivity only to be subjected to cruelty, abuse, and suffering through the training and trialing of hunting dogs. These archaic facilities have no place in today’s society.

Penned dog hunting facilities are cruel to the wild animals that are subjected to various methods used to train dogs to hunt.

Wildlife should never be taken from their natural environments and held captive by hunters. It’s especially cruel to use rabbits, coyotes, and foxes as pawns for hunters to train dogs and hold competitions.

Opening applications for train and trial spaces after 25 years is a massive step backward into the past. These facilities have no place in Ontario.

Instead of opening new applications, the province’s existing 24 facilities need to be closed immediately.

I vehemently 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.

I call upon this government to not only completely stop the issuance of licenses for new dog train and trial areas and the transfer of licenses but to end this barbaric and atavistic practice immediately.

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