Senseless killing of a ‘family member’
To the editor:
Early on the morning of Nov. 12, my companion, Copper, was shot in the head with a 12 G slug from 20 yards. Vehicle tracks in the fresh snow, the empty shell lying on the snow-covered gravel road, homeward bound paw prints and red blood told the story like a well-written book. Copper made it the half mile home after his routine of following my car went terribly wrong. His jaw was completely shattered. He was euthanized after much suffering.
We didn't lose a dog that morning; we lost our family member - the playmate to our children, the barker at strange cars, the guardian of our poultry and livestock. Copper protected us and our land from dangers both human and animal. Ironically, this tragedy came exactly two years after Jake was needlessly killed in a conibear 220 body gripping trap set dangerously close to my home in our township road ditch.
Hunters, trappers and outdoorsmen, you should be outraged by these incidents. Copper was shot from a gravel road; the gunman never left his vehicle. He dumped the spent shell on the road. This is illegal, unethical and sick. What if this was your dog? Both my faithful companions were killed needlessly by people acting with disregard for laws and codes of ethics. They took our given right to hunt/trap and abused it. Our country's founding fathers gave us the "right to bear arms" to protect ourselves, preserve liberty and secure food - not target practice, not kill people's pets.
Tracey Westegaard-Gunlogson, DVM
Clarkfield
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TraceyWG
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12-02-08 12:15 PM
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Thank you KMC2008, You put things in words that are eay to understand and aren't "mis read" If I could do that (and would've done it in my letter) maybe this debate wouldn't have happened. I'm glad it did though, I'm learning alot and am always will to hear another side of the story. I will change how I do things with my next dog because of the comments people have made and that should be safer for all.
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kmc2008
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12-01-08 12:19 PM
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As a pet owner and sportsmen, having a loaded gun in a vehicle and then proceeding to shoot from that vehicle is a very illegal offense. As a hunter and pet owner, I was shocked to read Greg Peter’s letter that was almost indicating this was a righteous act due to a “distance law” and the dog being a “predator”. I would hope most common sense and ethical sportsmen and citizens would analyze the situation and not quickly commit such a terrible act assuming the dog is a “predator threat” or is roaming too far from home. This is just my opinion as an active hunter myself, but in this area, the greatest threat to our wildlife is the illegal hunting, poaching, and illegal use of a gun that goes on. Not a dog making his way back home. This may not have been a hunter or sportsmen that committed this act; but either way, it was a terrible and unethical act no matter the angle you throw at it. Sorry for your loss Tracey
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TraceyWG
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11-29-08 8:32 PM
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oh yea. we live on a dead end gravel road and closest neighbors are parents - 1 mile away. we don't have traffic. I didn't include the details of the incident b/c it wasn't the point, I had no idea that people would assume all these crazy bad things about me personally...like I have an unvaccinated pack of wild dogs that roam the county chasing wildlife. No, just a good ole farm dog.
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TraceyWG
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11-28-08 9:57 AM
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FYI, the dogs were both killed ON our property. tracey
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Rep400
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11-25-08 9:16 AM
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People's dogs should know their boundries, if they did, they wouldn't get hit by cars on a regular basis. The person who shot "Copper" is a sick person. You can't blame the trapper, but you can blame the trigger man.
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trident_t150
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11-22-08 4:45 PM
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While we all can sympathize with the family who have lost two pets, I find myself thinking how could a vet, of all people, not realize the danger of letting her pets run loose. If you carefully read her letter, it appears that both pets were killed off her property, and having dogs running at large is also against the law. Letting a dog run 1/2 mile down a road every morning is a danger to other drivers as well.
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rona45
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11-22-08 9:36 AM
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I live in the country and own the land my pets are on. They have permission to be there the hunters who knowingly trespass don't.I don't expect to have to tie up my animals. Those so called hunters are the same breed that will shoot signs and insulators off electric poles. Lets hope they brag about it in the wrong place and someone turns then in. They probably got their start bashing mailboxes at night when they were younger.
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longjammer
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11-22-08 1:32 AM
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Why is it that people who value their pets do not keep their pets on their property?
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wtbaep
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11-21-08 5:03 PM
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I'd probably be considered one of those loony leftists as well. However, nearly everyone on both sides of my family are avid hunters and fishermen and I cannot imagine any of them being so irresponsible and mean spirited. How sad for this family. And you're right. It is these kinds of people that give all of the hunters a bad name.
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springb513
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11-21-08 11:52 AM
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As a 'loony leftist,' I have to say that I personally would not assume that a hunter did this, simply because all the hunters I know would be as outraged as both FreeThinker and Russell. There is no sport in killing someone's pet. And although I disagree with current gun laws, and personally would never hunt, I understand that 99% of hunters are responsible people. How horrible for this family. I hope the shooter reads this and realizes how much pain he/she caused.
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Russell
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11-21-08 11:37 AM
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Us "Hunters, Trappers and Outdoorsmen" ARE outraged by this. Please don't lump Us in with the individuals that killed your pets because they obviously are not hunters, trappers or outdoorsmen, they are idiots-well stated FreeThinker.
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FreeThinker
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11-21-08 10:36 AM
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She's right. What the*****is the matter with people? It's morons like this that give all hunters and trappers a bad name, and give the loony leftists more squawking points to take our guns away. I don't know how much chance there is of catching this idiot, but since he/she is an idiot we can hope they open their mouth in the wrong place and someone turns them in. Unfortunately I doubt the punishment would fit the crime. I'm sorry for the loss of your dog.
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