The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals hailed the state Supreme Court's ruling that the Pennsylvania Game Commission must regulate the shooting of captive animals confined within fenced enclosures for a fee – a controversial practice commonly referred to as canned hunting.

Humane Society Police Officer Johnna Seeton of the Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network filed suit in 2003, with assistance from The Fund for Animals and The HSUS, to compel the Game Commission to crack down on canned hunting in the Commonwealth. Although the focus of the suit was the captive hunting of exotic boars, the high court's decision notes that the Game Commission must regulate all trophy shooting of captive wildlife.  

"Shooting animals trapped behind a fence for a trophy is inhumane and unsporting, and should not be tolerated in Pennsylvania," said Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president of animal protection litigation for The HSUS. "Yesterday's ruling should be a wake-up call for the Game Commission: It's time to end this egregious activity once and for all."

In its ruling, the Supreme Court held that the Game Commission has both the authority and responsibility to restrict canned hunting of captive wildlife under the existing state Game and Wildlife Code. The Court noted that, to hold otherwise would be to endorse the view that "hunting of captive animals on fenced, private property may be undertaken by means such as drugs or restraint," and that such unsavory practices "violate, at a minimum, the spirit of the Game and Wildlife Code."

"This ruling is an important step toward ending the trophy killing of captive animals for a fee, a practice that most hunters find offensive and unacceptable," said Seeton. "I look forward to working with the Game Commission to make sure this ruling is fully applied and enforced."

The plaintiff was represented in the case by Gordon Einhorn with Thomas, Thomas & Hafer in Harrisburg.

Facts

• Canned hunts are illegal or restricted in 23 states. The HSUS tracks individual state statues and regulations at humanesociety.org/cannedhuntsmap.
• Canned hunts occur at private trophy hunting facilities where hunters pay to kill captive animals as guaranteed trophies.
• Although advertised using a variety of names (most frequently "game ranches" or "shooting preserves") canned hunts violate the hunting community's standard of "fair chase" by confining animals to cages or fenced enclosures.
• The animals in canned hunts are bred in captivity, purchased from animal dealers, or, in some cases, retired from roadside zoos and circuses, so they do not fear contact with humans and make easy targets.

More information about the case is available at: http://www.hsus.org/in_the_courts/docket/tioga_canned_hunting.html

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty. On the web at humanesociety.org .