I am commenting to oppose…

I am commenting to oppose this proposal on the basis of several factors after careful consideration of both perspectives. In the wild, there are divisions of predator versus prey, and yes, that can be described as the circle of life. The issue here is that in the wild, an animal is chased and preyed upon with one of two results: it is caught or not caught, and that is natural. In these proposed areas, however, the chase never ends for the prey which in my opinion, is not only unnatural, but highly unethical. Furthermore, the training/trials are a sport- it is killing for the sake of it, but in the wild, a predator hunts prey out of necessity for survival. While it is understandable that those in favour of this proposal argue the fact that if not allowed or increased then people will find illegal ways to do it, the reality is, there will always be individuals who will bypass rules and legality. Those in favour of this proposal also insist that regulations are in place for the sake of the hunting dogs and the wildlife, but how much can you truly regulate such an 'arena'? How can the hunters/trainers ensure the wildlife are eating appropriately and have a fair chance when the trials begins? Can the owners completely ensure the prevention of injury or death to their own dogs? How can one justify a regulation where a live animal is being mauled; is there some way to make being eaten alive less fear provoking and painful for prey? I would argue that such 'training' is no different than dog fighting, just in this scenario the dogs are coyotes or foxes, or smaller more vulnerable prey. It is further somewhat contradictory that those in favour state this is for purposes of training and hunting practice but in a controlled environment because such an environment is just that; it will never be the real thing, and as a result it may actually put the hunting dogs at risk as they will not know what to do should something occur (such as a run in with a well matched predator) because they will be conditioned to the controlled environment. While I do not enjoy it or practice it myself, I am not against hunting. For example, my partner is a hunter and
is indigenous; hunting has been and will always be a part of life- people do it, and animals do it themselves. Where I feel a line should be drawn, is when it is no longer performed respectfully, with zero recognition that another living beings life is ending. It is especially unethical to take the life of an animal in a tortuous manner if such a manner can be prevented. Are dogs called off of the prey once injured? Or are they allowed to attack the prey until its final moments? While wildlife can often be seen as pests yes, with foxes getting into chicken coops, raccoons ravaging through garbages and so on, it is very much worth considering that these animals started off from babies learning how to be 'their species' same as we do. I volunteer in wildlife rehabilitation and it has been a very rewarding experience to work with orphaned, injured and ill wildlife to provide them with a second chance at life. Have you ever held a young raccoon, it's little paws clasping onto you? These babies are vulnerable, and no different in needs than that of a human baby. Have you heard the cries of a baby starving to death while it wonders where its mother has gone? How can it be ensured that wildlife captured for use in these areas are not being taken from babies that they were meant to return to? Why does being older make it more 'okay' to be subject to attack? Would you be fine with a coyote tearing apart your adult dog? If not, then why is it moral when reversed? A coyote for example, would have the same fear in its eyes as you know your beloved dog would. After all, dogs are domesticated yes, but are not that different in genetics than those of wild canids.

Overall, there are many ways in which to look at this training/trials, both pros and cons I am sure. I ask that further thought goes into the different aspects of this proposal and the enforcement of regulations before a final decision is made. I ask with great passion and evidence that at this time this proposal is NOT passed. Thank you.