RSPCA Victoria attacks ‘legalised cruelty’ of duck shooting
Animal protection charity RSPCA has launched a campaign to oppose duck shooting as the hunting season gets under way in Victoria.
A print ad featuring a young boy holding a rifle asks ‘What’s wrong with this picture?’. It claims that the government is encouraging kids as young as 12 to fire guns at wildlife without testing and with fee-free licencing.
The campaign, which ran in The Age on Saturday, breaks as protesters say they will disrupt shooters and rescue hurt birds as the 12-week hunting season begins.
On the day the campaign launched, The Age is reporting that a 10 year-old boy shot a man in the leg while hunting ducks.
I’m glad they’re running this campaign what gives people the right to shoot animals for fun! They are right, a lot of them are left to die a slow agonising death. Why should they be allowed to massacre wildlife in the name of “sport” ? As the most intelligent species its about time we started acting that way.
Hunters are the true conservationists.
That kid needs someone to show him firearm safety.
they are eating the ducks Pd off get a grip. The only reason RSPCA are on this because it a easy campaign not far out of the way. Why don’t they have a look at the cruelty to animals in NT aboriginal communities http://www.ntnews.com.au/artic.....tnews.html
http://www.ntnews.com.au/artic.....tnews.html
http://www.ntnews.com.au/artic.....tnews.html
I bet this doesn’t get published i used to donate to rspca, but to me and many others you have lost all relevance in Australia
What a quacking campaign!
It is a disgrace that the shooters are so defensive about their ‘right’ to kill other living things when they obviously do not need to. We don’t have a native waterbird pest problem or a food shortage so why do they need to kill? For fun? We are NOT USA thank god and the gun lobby should just shut up, we know what those NRA wannabes are about – their own selfish desire to kill, kill kill!
How is duck hunting any different to recreational fishing? Are you saying fish don’t have feelings too? It seems it’s far easier to pick on duck hunting because the majority of people don’t know what goes on in a duck swamp, so they are more likely to believe any emotive based drivel fed to them by the likes of the RSPCA and CADS. Most hunters strive to take their ducks as cleanly and as ethically as possible. With the new laws brought in to keep protestors out, and legislation being introduced to bring recreational duck hunting back to NSW, it would appear that duck hunting still is a widely accepted recreation and will continue to be for years to come. And encouraging kids to participate under the supervision of adults is fantastic. Scare campaigns like those above are just ridiculous.
Thanks rod I have a grip, a strong and realistic one.
Shooters don’t eat them for the most part they are left where they fall dead or alive
2013/politics/victorian-government-bans-media-from-duck-season/
you have to question why the Vic Govt has banned the media for safety reasons yet 12 yo kids are ok to attend!
It’s sad to hear you think people who care about animals have lost relevance.
What’s happening in the NT and all corners of the globe is disgraceful too. For those of us who care we just have to try to help each cause one at a time as best we can.
There goes my support for the RSPCA. Good money thrown away on ignorance, stupidity and hysteria like this.
Duck hunting is like any other form of hunting. Shooters act as humanely and cleanly as possible and for the meat. They also dispose of feral animals that do untold damage to our native animals habitats, something the greens and the rspc seem to overlook.
Why are they not proactively out there campaigning against cat ownership because they are the single most damaging animal in Australia to native animals?
Shooting is a responsible activity, undertaken by very sensible and responsible shooters who have proved themsevles fit and proper for the activity.
Unless your thinking of the shooters who operate as part of outlaw motorcycle hit squads, who get their weapons through corrupt customs agents. Again, who our represented leaders seem to be able to do nothing about but target law abiding shooters as somehow being the cause for this crap.
The RSPC has just lost any future support for their organisation I would’ve previously happily given them. Which is sad because the rescue animals they save deserve peoples support but if this organisation is going to engage in this crap then find your money elsewhere.
As a life time animal lover I have always supported the RSPCA as generously as my financial circumstances would permit.
My support for the RSPCA is now terminated. – PERMANENTLY!
I resent lies and propaganda and that is what the RSPCA is selling here.
There are other charities, obviously less political and more ethical than the RSPCA has now proven itself to be.
And for the record, I don’t shoot ducks!
Andy, if you’re collecting your prey then how come 30 ducks were found dead or injured at one wetland, not to mention the number that were not found? Allowing teenagers to participate in hunting is irresponsible parenting.
PD off from my travels through Australia, the only time people give a stuff is if its a hours drive from Melbourne or a major capital where they arent far from the cafe. The articles i included are a example no one says anything including the rspca, they have stated they carnt do anything in these cases.
My point is RSPCA will only campaign in easy areas or where they don’t risk being called racist, and turn a blind eye to other issues and put it in the too hard basket I make this statement after travelling extensively throughout Australia
Total act of Bastardy by the RSPCA I have long contributed to the rescue and adoption of animals from their shelters. I am active in domestic animal de sexing And both organic and permaculture practices. And you wish to deny me the right and my children’s right to harvest our own food . I agree with rod where are the inspectors in FNQ and NT What about the breeder and kennel zones market breeding animals. You have far far more important things to worry about then duck shooters for a few weeks of the year.
RSPCA Goes too far this time !
As someone who has donated monies to the RSPCA over many years, I am embarrassed by their decision to attack 12 year olds..
Needless to say I will be donating to a better cause in the future.
Shame on you Hugh.. We have other battles elsewhere that need your help..
What’s wrong with it?
Well the young chap needs some coaching.
He needs to get his head down on the stock so he can align his eye with the barrel and target.
He’ll not hit anything like that – that’s what’s wrong
1. We need a duck-hunters hunting season. That should solve the problem.
2. i’m doubling my donation to the RSPCA.
(Quote) :- you have to question why the Vic Govt has banned the media for safety reasons yet 12 yo kids are ok to attend! (Unquote)
Simple answer P’d off.
They are a bunch of loonies who will deliberately put themselves in harms way to harrass, hinder & disrupt others going about thier buisiness in a law abiding way.
What’s wrong with you people, Don’t you eat meat?
Oh, that’s right, you buy your meat at a supermarket where no animals were harmed ey?
Time for a reality check guys!
P.s
The only reason your mob came away with 30 ducks was because they were STOLEN from hunters.
Mick, any doubt that shooters are of the lunatic fringe have been dispelled by your missive.
John.
Who said I was a shooter?
And statements like JG’s:
Quote.
“1. We need a duck-hunters hunting season. That should solve the problem.
2. i’m doubling my donation to the RSPCA.”
End Quote.
Confirm beyond all doubt that anti-hunters are the picture of mental health?
It’s interesting to read through these … the posts by those defending the shooting are very aggressive. Says everything doesn’t it.
As somebody who has seen things from both sides of the fence, I must say this latest action by RSPCA has stunned me.
I have believed all my life in standing up for at you believe in. Never back down from what you believe etc. But attacking the youngsters of today with this type of propaganda simply stuns me.
Every constituent has the right in participating in legal recreational activities and enjoying this great country of ours.
Lobby Government, not the children RSPCA
Regards
P. Garrett
Dear, dear, dear Norman. It’s called facetious irony. I suspected someone would miss it. Thank you for not letting me down.
Andy – humans (not cats) are the single most damaging animal in Australia and everywhere else.
It’s about time as a species we became less arrogant and self absorbed and realised how destructive and cruel we are.
Nick fishing isn’t without it’s many major issues either.
/www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/fishing.php
Mick Pd Off mentioned the media being banned, I hardly think they are loonies who are going to throw themselves in harms way so why are they banned too its not just protesters. If duck shooting is so benign why not cover it?
Jeannie reading back through this you make a great point.
Jeanie,
Im a shooter, ducks dont interest me one bit I hunt and also organise culling for conservation organisations i have culled pigs where they were digging up turtle eggs.
I suppose that makes me a monster to, i find alot of the opinions very narrow minded without much substance to the argument basically because you don’t like it no one should be doing it.
(quote):-
It’s interesting to read through these … the posts by those defending the shooting are very aggressive. Says everything doesn’t it.(un quote)
Jeanie.
I don’t see any agression in these comments but if others do then maybe it’s because they (shooters) are fed up with the constant victimisation, lies & scaremongering that they have to contend with on a daily basis from the media.
These people have been jumping through hoops from the day they applied for a licence, it starts with police background checks uppon aplication, then every time they want to purchase just about anything firearm related.
To be a sucsessful aplicant you must have a spotless record & then maintain that spotless record to retain the license year after year. These peolple are some of the most Law Abiding & responsible people I know & all you want to do is persicute them time & time again with propaganda & mis-leading, twisted information.
Nothing more than a witch hunt!
Rod everyone is entitled to an opinion just like you.
Those that care about animal welfare can equally use your argument – just because you like it doesn’t mean you should do it !
Unlike fishing, the spray of pellets from a shotgun means that birds are inevitably wounded and not killed outright. The so-called game birds that are allowed to be shot are protected native wildlife outside duck shooting seasons and should be protected all year round. These birds do NOT exist to be killed and wounded by shooters for their recreational enjoyment. The RSPCA is right to oppose this horrific cruelty and the recruitment of child shooters. It is disgraceful that the government is trying to encourage children as young as 12 to inflict cruelty on native waterbirds for fun. This mindless slaughter should be banned.
Jo, far far more birds die from starvation, disease and predators than are shot by hunters, and it could be argued suffer far more than they do at the hands of a hunter. Instead of these birds rotting in a swamp, what is so wrong about putting those ducks on our table for food? Do you realise how many birds are shot to protect farmers crops under pest mitigation permits? After much lobbying by a narrow minded minority recreational duck hunting was banned in NSW. Instead there is now no season or bag limits, and any farmer with a duck problem can now have shooters shoot them nearly any time of year. So no matter how you look at it, ducks will continue to be hunted with or without a recreational season. At least with a recreational season it’s far more regulated.
And regards to fishing, no fish is killed outright either. They are often fought for sometimes hours to get them boat side, and have you heard of live baiting? Now I am a keen fisherman myself, so have no problem with the practice of it. But you fail to see that your arguments you make about duck hunting can equally apply to fishing. But no one attacks fishing because the majority of Australians would laugh in your faces. Instead you attack duck hunters because we are a much smaller number and an easier target. Is a ducks life worth more than a fish?
There you go again Mick … vilifying witches now. What have witches ever done to you.
Nick, you ask what’s wrong with putting these birds on our table for food. You clearly are close to the sport and I’m not, but any idea how many recreational shooters eat their kill. Just interested.
Daffy, from my experiences the vast majority of hunters do. I am yet to meet a duck hunter who wastes their ducks. These characters on the other side of the debate claiming they aren’t eaten are complete fools. This is what they want to believe to try and give more credibility to what’s purely an emotional argument.
mich,
every one has the right to a opinion yes they sure do! thats what makes the country great should that opinion be gotten across by breaking laws? If people have integrity they truly know the answer there.
Any way mich thanks for the debate
If RSPCA was to spend the money that these adds cost on some real animal cruelty issues, such as PUPPY FARMS, 1080 poisoning of all native species, Mixometosis, and many more forms of cruelty instead of trying to cause hysteria over a legal sustainable recreation enjoyed by many thousands of folks all would be better off.
The RSPCA once stood for what it,s name suggests and not what it has now been hijacked to become, another avenue for the vegos and cranks to try and get their pathetic views forced onto law abiding citizens.
Enough is enough and the sooner the government steps in and removes funding until this organisation goes back to what it was first formed to do and refrains from this practice the better.
Having been on the recieving end of vitriol and threats of violence from the Australian gun lobby for an innocent comment online some years ago – can I assure anyone reading this story and comments that most of the “there goes my donation to the RSPCA” and “they’ve lost me” etc – comes from a very organised group of people who launch into action at the mere mention of any gun control debate online.
An email or Google alert goes out and there you have it – much more activity on online polls or blogs by the organised gun fans. Just try it – post something about gun control and see how much more activity you get. First time on Mumbrella chaps?
I also am not in love with the RSPCA especially after their recent failure to close down an abbatoir filmed dragging horses around before their deaths and I don’t think they are in any way perfect but just imagine for a moment the sh** that would go down if they weren’t there.
Duck hunters I am sure do like to eat their kill but given the nature of the hunt would find it hard to find ducks they have shot or they just shoot the bills or wings off ducks who limp off to die somewhere painfully. Having had a friend who used to collect the carcasses or half dead or injured ducks, your probably not as good a shot as you think you are.
If people were as true to the beliefs they portray in these letters then surely they can put their name to them.
Get your hand off it, BT. You don’t think the anti hunters get on email and try and gather votes in polls or comments to be added to debate!? It went global recently in the hunt for more votes in a recent poll. They also fund polls designed to get a certain response and then claim it as gospel. Remember the “87% of Victorians are against duck hunting” rubbish? Sponsored by animal liberationist group Voiceless, and these ‘results’ are still sprouted by Lying Laurie as a reason to ban duck hunting. Along with stolen ducks dumped on parliament steps, and plenty of other lies.
When a poll doesn’t go in their favour like an RSPCA poll run a couple of years ago, it’s gets scrapped and blamed on technical difficulties!
I have had my junior firearms licence since I was twelve (I am now 6 months of turning 18) and am a member of several firearm and hunting organisations such as field and game Australia and ADA (Australian deer association. Both of my parents both shoot and this year my sister will be going for her junior firearms licence. I know many of you won’t care for the views of an ‘adolescent’ but as I have grown up around firearms and hunting I feel I must at least express my point of view. By having the opportunity to go out hunting with many different people from all over Australia I have been taught more about the environment, animal welfare and conservation then I would have in any uni lecture or class. Nearly every shooter I know is more interested in pest iradication then they are in “going out to shoot shit for fun”. Although many of you greeny tree hugging types are of the opinion that our native duck species have no impact on our environment what so ever they actually cause quite a bit of damage to crops and our waterways. in fact the catholic college I attend in the Mitchell shire has a very big problem with duck damage to our main ovals. Duck shooting also contributes positively to the economy in the fact that shooters will be travelling large distances (often to small rural area), buying more fuel, more ammunition, camping gear, utilities etc. and also spending more money within rural areas throughout Victoria.As for hunters leaving injured animals to suffer this is not the case. Every shooter I have had the pleasure of meeting or shooting with has been very ethical in the way they take out an animal, making sure they make the cleanest hit possible or none at all.
Rachael. I have a solution for your very big problem.
1. You.
2. Your gun
3. Presto, no more of those pesky ducks on your oval.
Ducks are shot with SHOTGUNS not rifles
Big difference
My question.
What do the RSPCA do that is not already represented by Govt (State and Local) besided represent the green fraction . Inspectorate = Council Ranger/VicPol, Animal Shelters = Council, Clinics = corner vets and Education teams = Responsible Pet Ownership (State Govt).
But lets be clear that the RSPCA are not anti firearm as Inspectors use firearms to euthanise animals in the field.
Hugh and Laurie 2 peas in a pod full of self opinion
You’re so right, BT. For all my time in this industry, I’ve never met anyone who’s an avid shooter. Message to the gun lobby: you’re the minority.