Who are the hunters kidding?

Sir, 

I was, as were most animal lovers, disgusted by your story of the dog shot by hunters. But even more by the comments of Andreas Kyprianou, the president of the Hunting Association. What planet does he live on? There have been many reports over the past years of hunting dogs, and others, being shot. In one case several years ago, dogs were shot in their cage, on their owner’s land; in the same year, rabbits in cages were shot, and there have been reports of goats being shot by disgruntled hunters. One incident where goats were shot and stolen by hunters was given as the possible cause for the poisoning of some 20 hunting dogs in the Akamas some years ago.

His attempt to put the blame on the dog is pathetic. Look at the position of the pellets in the x-ray. If the dog had been attacking the hunter, the shot would surely have been in the front of the head, not mainly in the back of the head and neck. How far do you have to be from the target to get a spread of that size?
One of my dogs has shotgun pellets in him; he was shot while being walked by my wife on a “special” hunting day, Friday December 1, an event not notified in the English language papers, at least. He had just been let out of the car and was in no way threatening anyone.

While many of the hunters are fairly responsible, there are still large numbers who shoot at anything that moves. Last year, in the canal at Yeroskipou, we saw the bodies of two Little Grebes, small waterbirds which are of no use as food, but must have been shot for “fun”. Near the Avakas Gorge, we have seen the body of a Bonelli’s Eagle, shot by hunters. We have also come across the bodies of dogs which have been shot, presumably by their owners, as no longer wanted. They even shoot other hunters. A 79-year old woman was shot while driving in her car, in another report this week. I have friends in isolated houses where shot has hit their windows and covered the roof of the house. Hunters are supposed to be banned from shooting less than 150 metres from a dwelling, I believe. Responsible hunters? Reports to the police are met with the usual questions; what was his name, do you know his licence number, and what was his car registration? Don’t know? Sorry, nothing we can do!

If Mr Kyprianou has never heard of similar occurrences, he must be deaf, dumb and blind.

PE, Paphos

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