Letter to the Editor about SB1221

   Dear Editor:

     Ive been doing some research and I would submit to your readers that:

    About SB 1221 the ban on using hounds to hunt bear in California

    Opponents to this bill say "Hunting with hounds is an American tradition."
  Proponents say "Our forefathers had muskets, not semi-automatic weapons. Bear meat and hides were a staple, not a trophy. Our forefathers also kept slaves and did
not allow women to vote. Were these also  good American traditions?

   Opponents to this bill say "Bear hunting is a sport."

   Proponents say " Sport is defined as two willing participants enganging in competition to determine who is superior. Dogs running down a terrified bear for hours, treeing it so that a man with a gun can kill it is NOT sport.

    Opponents to SB1221 say "The fiscal impact will be huge."

    Proponents say "1700 bear licenses at $80 each will not kill California. Hunters will still hunt. They will still buy guns, they will still travel. They just won't be allowed to use dogs to kill bears.  Dog, cock and bull fighting could generate revenue too. But don't we consider that barbaric?"

   Opponents say "Our dogs are treated very well."

   Proponents say " No, your dogs are maintained. There is a difference. Most hounds are kenneled and allowed out once a day to exercise. Most sleep in the kennels and go to the bathroom in the kennels. then they outlive their usefulness as hunters they are often dropped off at the local SPCA or animal control. They do not make good adoption pets because they have not been properly soicalized, and cannot live in a home.

   Often they are incessant barkers due to being caged for long periods of time.  In addition, they tend to suffer from multiple injuries due to the "nature" of their job."
  
   Proponents say "We call ourselves the superior species yet we are the only of God's creatures to kill just for fun."

                                   Calaveras County Resident in Favor of SB 1221