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Cruel Wildlife Penning Exposed

November 28, 2007


	©Mamie Moody
	Coyotes are frequent victims of wildlife penning, sometimes shipped across state lines.

The Humane Society of the United States is calling for a ban on the horrific practice of penning wildlife for dog training.

In separate letters sent yesterday to state wildlife agencies and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, The HSUS asked the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to outlaw wildlife penning and asked the USDA to crack down on these cruel operations under the Animal Welfare Act.

The HSUS has also been working in Indiana to ban live exports of coyotes for penning.

Viewers in Georgia were shocked by a recent investigative report aired on Atlanta's Fox 5 news with a graphic video of a coyote being ripped apart by hunting dogs inside a fenced pen, which is legal in Georgia and across the Southeast. The hounds are scored for their speed, persistence and aggression.

A Cruel Twist on Animal Fighting

Staged animal fights usually set dogs or roosters against one another in a sadistic contest for the sake of entertainment and gambling. Although dogfighting and cockfighting are illegal in every state, the cruel practice of penning wildlife for fighting abounds all over the Southeast.

This appalling spectacle begins when wild coyotes or foxes are trapped in steel traps or snares. The animals—possibly injured by the traps—are kept alive to be trafficked to several states (including some where penning is illegal) where they will either be used by hunters to train their dogs or as bait by others who pit their dogs against wildlife for entertainment.

In both of these scenarios, one coyote or fox may be pitted against as many as 20 or more dogs, with the spectacle participants periodically releasing fresh dogs to continue the chase.

Suffering and Death for Entertainment

First, the coyotes and foxes are caught by the heavy steel jaws of a leghold trap and suffer excruciating pain and terror. The trap can tear the flesh, cut tendons and ligaments, and break bones. When the animals struggle to free themselves, they aggravate their injuries. A trapped animal may chew or twist the limb caught in the trap in an effort to escape.

Later, the animal is removed from the trap and packed into a cramped cage with other injured animals. The animals are routinely sold and transported across state lines to operators of pens. Untreated for their injuries, the coyotes and foxes are released into an enclosure.

In the pens, packs of hound dogs are released to pursue the animals. Exposure to repeated, prolonged and unavoidable pursuit result in stress for the coyotes and foxes. Death is another possibility, even with the presence of escape shelters. The penned coyotes and foxes often meet a cruel end when torn apart by packs of dogs.

The Threat of Disease

Transporting wild animals for penning purposes has directly led to the spread of rabies and other diseases dangerous to wildlife, pets and people.

Under natural conditions, coyotes tend to be solitary animals outside of the breeding season, minimizing disease transmission between individuals. However, in the artificial conditions that are found in penning, the risk of spreading these diseases between individuals of the same species or to the dogs and their handlers is greatly increased.

Law Enforcement Taking Notice

Federal and state authorities made arrests in a multi-state sting operation of fox pens earlier this month. In Virginia, there are 41 fox pens, and 36 were recently found to be out of compliance. Authorities also brought charges against fox pen operators and trappers in half a dozen other states.

What You Can Do

If you live in one of these states, please ask your state wildlife agency to stop penned wildlife fighting.

Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources: (334) 242-3486
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: (501) 223-6300
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: (850) 488-4676
Georgia DNR: (404) 656-3500
Indiana DNR: (317) 232-4080 (division of fish and wildlife)
Iowa DNR: (515) 281-5918
Kentucky Dept. of Game & Wildlife Resources: (800) 858-1549
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: (919) 707-0010
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: (405) 521 3851
South Carolina DNR: (803) 734-3886 (wildlife)
Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries: (804) 367-1000
Wisconsin DNR: 608-266-2621