I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my opposition to the expansion of (so-called) “penned hunting” areas in Ontario.

The argument that has been made in favour of the proposed expansion is that these areas are necessary to train hunting dogs and, further, that without these areas dog owners will be "forced to let their dogs run (train) on private property" or "go underground". It seems to me that the training of hunting dogs falls far short of any definition of “necessity”. More urgently, as a property owner I ask what sort of mindset the proponents of the expansion exhibit when they essentially threaten the integrity of private property ownership if the number of penned hunting areas isn't increased.

Beyond these broad policy issues there is a self-evident question of ethics and morality involved in this matter. In what sense is it “sporting” to turn dogs loose in an enclosed area to track, pursue, and ultimately kill prey animals that are contained and unable to escape? In what sense can this be considered moral and humane? This model of (so-called) hunting is more akin (to borrow an old phrase) to shooting fish in a barrel than to sport hunting. I consider the entire process to be cruel, repugnant, and an affront to those many hunters whose notion of hunting involves a measure of respect for animals.
I believe that Ontario should be reducing the number of areas approved for this cruel practice rather than increasing it. To proceed with this expansion would be an embarrassment to the province.