Dogs “shoot” hunters

When hunters get accidentally shot, particularly when the “shooter” is a dog, then the normal reaction from animal lovers and the majority of wildlife activists is “serves them right.” Understandably, there is little sympathy for someone who is happy to go out and shoot animals and birds for pleasure. We are not talking about trained marksmen humanely culling aged and sick beasts from overpopulated herds. No, we are referring to individuals who can get hold of weapons and who are clearly unable even to follow basic safety rules, which leads us to ask how competent they are when it comes to the accurate use of these guns. How many creatures do they wound, leaving the hapless victim to die a lingering death?

Even here in Greece, we see these clowns pretending to be Rambo strutting around the olive groves dressed in their camouflage gear, trying to give the impression that they are somehow military with their shotguns. When you point out that there is nothing brave in firing a shotgun straight at a tree and seeing songbirds dropping to the ground, the silent response and shrug of the shoulders says it all. I wonder how many of them would even consider hunting any creature if it could shoot back?

Whilst I am sure that all of us, including animal rights activists and campaigners, take no pleasure in hearing of the maiming and loss of life suffered by hunters, there is somehow a feeling of poetic justice. Basically, if you hadn’t gone out to kill, you would not have suffered the way you have done.

Recent examples

Joseph Austin Smith, aged 30, from Wichita, was in the front passenger seat of a vehicle when a dog stepped on his LOADED gun, which was on the rear seat. The result was the tragic death of Mr Smith. By all accounts, Mr Smith was an amazing human being who was kind, funny, and smart. However, yet another life was lost due to the failure to observe basic gun safety.

A 32-year-old man in Turkey preparing to go hunting was fatally shot as he was putting a dog in the car who stepped on the trigger of his LOADED gun, hitting him at point blank range. He had become a father just ten days before; therefore, he left his wife a widow and a baby fatherless.

Tex Harold Gilligan, 74 years old, was on his way to the desert with his three dogs to hunt jackrabbits when the one named Charlie, a 120lb Rottweiler, knocked the LOADED gun sideways, and the elderly gentleman was shot. He was left with three broken ribs, a damaged lung and a broken collar bone.

Richard Remme of Iowa was playing with his pit bull labrador mix when the dog inadvertently disabled the safety catch on the LOADED gun, which was in his “belly band”, and Mr Remme was shot in the leg.

Allie Carter had a labrador with her while on a waterfowl hunt and laid a LOADED 12 gauge shotgun on the ground. Her dog stepped on the trigger, which caused her an injury to her foot and toes. The dogs name by the way was….Trigger!!  You couldn’t make it up.

In 2018, the former American football player Matt Branch was preparing to go duck hunting, and having placed his LOADED gun in the rear of the utility vehicle, a labrador jumped in and managed to disconnect the safety and pull the trigger. The result was that Matt received a gunshot wound to the thigh, he died twice in the way to the hospital and was unconscious for 12 days. The damage was so extensive that it necessitated the amputation of his leg.

Near misses

It should be pointed out that there are considerably more incidents of hunters being shot at by dogs than are reported. If the injuries are very superficial or near-miss, then the matter is covered up as there is no obligation to report the matter.

It is normal for those who have been shot and survived to show that they apportion no blame to the dog. Nice of them to say so, but it is painfully obvious that the only blame lies with the injured human.

My question to those who do this is…

When you got up this morning you didn’t expect to be shot for no reason, in fact you are protected by law. So, whilst you are protected legally, why do you really think it is acceptable to spend your leisure time shooting at living creatures that pose no threat to you?

The reporting of these incidents may also show the acceptance by the media of the death and injuries without the obvious question.

Why? What did you think you were doing?

In the reports that publicise these events, what happens to the dog afterwards is never investigated.

Firearm safety

Despite the clear advice from the National Rifle Association (NRA) about not having guns loaded when not in use, there is so much evidence that this dangerous practice is more common than people think.

Maybe the NRA might like to try doing something constructive for a change like campaigning for guns to have a safety device that is not so easy to loosen, after all if a dog can disable a safety catch then so can a child.

Nobody will be surprised to learn that the highest cause of death of children in the USA is by guns, so states the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. 90% of guns were loaded and unlocked.

Finally, the last question is. With all these fools getting killed and injured whilst out trying to decimate the wildlife, just how many dogs are killed or maimed by careless gun owners? Let’s be honest: it’s very difficult to hide human injuries and fatalities, but so easy to hide the deaths of the canines.