No place for unethical blood sport

On the subject of the cruel nature of fox and coyote penning, the Humane Society of the United States says ”Fox penning is a blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase - and sometimes rip apart - foxes and coyotes. Trapped in the wild and sold to fox pens, often in other states, the fox or coyote must run for his life inside fences where there is no hope of getting away.”

The county commissioners were wrong to unanimously vote for supporting the blood sport of fox and coyote penning in Florida.  Florida law already has an answer for this wrong thinking:

Florida Statutes Chapter 828.12

• A person who intentionally commits an act to any animal which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 (…by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years.) or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.
• A person convicted of a violation of this subsection, where the finder of fact determines that the violation includes the knowing and intentional torture or torment of an animal that injures, mutilates, or kills the animal, shall be ordered to pay a minimum mandatory fine of $2,500 and undergo psychological counseling or complete an anger management treatment program.

I applaud the temporary ban placed on fox and coyote penning by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) this February, bringing to light this unethical blood sport.

I strongly urge and will support the FWC to enact a complete and absolute ban on all penning when it revisits the issue in June.

George Coon

Apalachicola