Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, known mostly for his stand against all things immigrant, Tuesday entered the anti-animal welfare arena. His bill, AB 1230, will restore the use of dogs in bear and bobcat hunting in the state. It was read for the second time in the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife and amended.
Donnelly seeks to repeal some sections of Senator Ted Lieu’s bill from last year that outlawed the use of pack dogs in such hunts. Lieu’s bill was widely supported throughout the state.
Hunters use pack dogs with radio collars to chase bears and bobcats until they are exhausted. Then the hunters locate the dogs and shoot their prey. The dogs are generally not under the hunters’ control while the chase is going on and may cross onto private and protected property where hunting is not allowed.
Donnelly claims that citizens came out against the “purposeless” ban and were ignored. In a brief interview today with Senator Lieu, he cited a Humane Society poll that showed that 80 percent of those surveyed supported such a ban.
Groups ranging from animal welfare activists to Native Americans and wildlife groups spoke and protested in support of the ban. The use of radio collars on dog packs takes any “sport” out of the hunt and turns it into nothing but a slaughter.
“I believe the bill will fail,” said Lieu. “Nothing has changed. The arguments were heard. The legislature considered them and the governor signed the bill.”
Lieu has been a strong and successful animal welfare advocate in the state legislature. He was also behind a bill to prohibit sales of live animals in parking lots, on roadsides and at carnivals. Lieu was named the California chapter of the League of Humane Voters’ 2012 Legislator of the Year.
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