Policy on Hunting

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Policy on Hunting

• 1.1 The AACL seeks to protect wild animals from
  any form of suffering, and strongly urges that
  they receive a greater degree of protection under
  the law. The AACL notes that the interactions
  between man and wild animals are affected by
  considerations of biodiversity, conservation and
  sustainability, and does all in its power to
  ensure that such interactions cause minimal pain
  or distress to individual animals.
• 1.2 The AACL is in principle opposed to the
  taking or killing of wild animals, or the
  infliction of any suffering upon them.

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1.3 Explanetory Notes

• Before exceptions to this principle can be
  considered there must be
• Strong scientific evidence that there is a
  legitimate case for the taking and killing of
  wild animals in this instance, or
• a case for taking or killing particular animals
  for necessary food purposes, or
• iii. where the question is one of control,
  evidence that control is necessary and that
  alternative methods of control are not
  appropriate.

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b. in all cases methods of control and taking
shall be humane.

• wild animals in this context refers to
  species which are living free, together with all
  species which although previously imported have
  become feral i.e. those that live and breed
  successfully in the wild.
• The reasons for the taking and collecting of
  wild animals are given as being
• for their skins, furs,plumage etc.
• as collectors items (alive or dead)
• they are said to be pests to agriculture or
  forestry and so are killed
• They are said to be reservoirs of diseases which
  are dangerous to man or to other animals.

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Additional Notes

• Hunting and any related industry should be
  approached scientifically.
• Where hunting takes place it must be done
  ethically.
• Sustainable utilisation should not be used as a
  cover for exploitive unethical practices.
• Placing economic value on animals does not
  necessarily guarantee adequate conservation
  practices or ethical behaviour.
• The hunting and related industries must get
  involved from grass root level in educating about
  respect for all segments of the environment.
• The industry must take responsibility for its
  own and all members action.
• We support uniformity in regulations across all
  provinces.

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Comments

• One may not be able to legislate ethics but the
  setting of standards may go a long way to making
  hunting and related industries more ethical.
• A lot of countries have already or is in the
  process of banning the use of dogs in hunting
  practices where the quarry is chased down, such
  as fox hunting.