Hunters Help Hurting Animals

I began rescuing animals almost at the same time I started hunting them. To me, the two go hand in hand for anyone with intellect and a heart.

There is a large misconception that to hunt animals, you must have some hatred or dislike for them. Nothing can be further from the truth. Honestly, I don’t know a single “HUNTER” who has anything but love for animals, even the ones we hunt. Money raised for the conservation and preservation of animal species is in large raised by hunters. Fees from hunting license and permits to millions raised by organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Foundation and many others are all monies from hunters.

My wife and I take in unwanted and abandoned domestic animals. The sheer numbers of which have skyrocketed this year for some reason. Every shelter I know of is at capacity or above, and the abandoned pets keep pouring in. Now I am no tree-hugging hippie by any means but come on people. Stop buying those cute puppies at Easter or Christmas only to dump them down a dirt road six months later because the cuddly two pup grew into a 20 pounds chew monster. When you dump them out like this, they starve to death or become the meal for coyotes at best. Worse case is that get ran over and end up in a ditch with a broken back or limbs to slowly suffer and die.

Try visiting a shelter and adopting a dog from a shelter. Research what type of and size dog will fit your family. If in the market for a hunting dog, then do some research as well and prepare. Before bringing a dog into your home, make your house as you would before bringing a small child into it. Put important things up where they can not destroy. Remember a baby pup is just that a baby and a puppy. Certain behaviors are born into them. Give them plenty of chew toys and plenty of attention and beyond all else get them vaccinated. Parvo is the number one most horrific death a puppy can endure.

Think long and hard before bringing a dog into your home. Becoming the mom or dad of a four-legged furry baby needs to be a forever relationship. Not an until it gets bigger or until it pees on the furniture relationship. If you are not ready for the bad that comes with the good, then buy a stuffed animal and leave the live ones to people willing to love them unconditionally.

Jeff Stewart