Please help stop duck shooting

[cat_mioux]

Duck shooting season is on again :_|

Victoria is one of the last states to legalise this cruelty.

Our beautiful wild ducks suffer untold cruelty. Some take ages to die in pain because they haven't been killed outright. Some drown in the water. Others have been so traumatised they suffer stress related injuries.

This is an example of a letter/email you can send (courtesy of the RSPCA).

To peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au

I am writing to you to ask that you represent my views and those of your constituents for a ban on duck shooting.

I am extremely disappointed that the Coalition Government has allowed a full duck shooting season to commence in Victoria on 16 March. Do you realise that the reality will be a horrifying three months for our native wildlife? One where as many as one in four waterbirds be left to die a slow and painful death - all in the name of ‘sport’?

Just as shockingly, Game Licence fees for junior shooters have been waived, encouraging children as young as twelve years old to kill and maim ducks. Our government is obviously trying to breed a new generation of duck shooters – why, when we should be encouraging welfare friendly activities to our next generation?

With registered shooters in Victoria representing 0.4% of the Victorian community, why does your government continue to pander to their desires, when 87% of Victorians (Morgan Poll) want a ban of this cruel sport? Not only will the large number of people who enjoy our native wetlands for recreational activities and to admire our wildlife be displaced so duck shooters can kill waterbirds, dollars from ecotourism will also be lost.

The animal welfare vote continues to gain momentum especially with a heightened community awareness of animal welfare issues as highlighted recently by recent exposes into the cruelty behind live export.  Please take a stand and help end this legalised cruelty.

We are one of the last states to participate in such blatant cruelty, it’s time to catch up and be a progressive state.

[12elliemellie]

Your not a rice farmer by any chance are you Cat?

Should ANYONE be a rice farmer in Australia????

[izabsmiling]

Shooting any animal for pleasure should be banned IMO

I'm glad  local shooters clubs here have a yearly fox drive.It is necessary ...I don't personally happen to know what motives them ie;enjoyment,recognition of need or other reasons.

[izabsmiling]

Education and Policing are, but sadly this state lacks in both these departments in all areas so the sport will go on.

I think those things are very important 

[cat_mioux]

Why on earth would anyone want to kill and maim defenceless creatures and call it "sport".

The trauma and suffering our native ducks and swans experience is beyond words. Sadly there are generational shooters who have been brought up to believe they have the right to cause suffering and destruction. Now the Victorian government is encouraging the next generation, 12 year old children to join in the massacre. 12 year old children carrying GUNS! Being taught to enjoy killing.

Education takes time and our precious wildlife, including rare species of ducks, need to be protected now. Ban the "sport". Simple. Then educate the next generation to find their thrills in other ways that don't include inflicting suffering on other living creatures.

If you want to talk about 'pest control' then talk about a strict policy that is humane and controlled.

Not red neck dad's and their kids shooting anything that moves and not even bothering to retrieve the ducks to make sure they are dead but rather leaving them to suffer.

[shepherdsrule]

Should ban trout and salmon fishing too IMOX-(

[izabsmiling]

Why on earth would anyone want to kill and main defenseless creature and call it "sport"

I don't know Cat Mioux

[izabsmiling]

main = maim

I'm using a different browser and my c&p isn't working

[cat_mioux]

I remember Mr Ex telling me about his first shooting experience. He grew up on a farm and his father had guns for pest control. As a young 12 year old the first time he shot a rabbit he felt sick and cried. That was the last time he picked up a gun.

However. his son was taught to shoot by his maternal grandfather. I asked him what he felt when he shot his first deer. He replied he felt sick and "spacey". But he continued the "sport" because of the encouragement of his grandfather and uncles.

Which implies the first time a kid shoots and maims a defenseless living creature their instinctive feelings are one of sickness and trauma, unless one is a psychopath of course. But as they are 'encouraged' to keep killing they become de-sensitised to the suffering they have inflicted.

[monstersinthedungeon]

I will never, ever, understand the mind of a person who can derive pleasure from the murder of an animal for "fun".

I can understand killing quickly and humanely for food, even if that involves shooting with a gun, or fishing. I don't like it, but understand it.

I cannot understand, nor condone, hunting for "sport", they quite obviously have an empathy/humanity chip missing from their makeup. And don't get me started on having a stuffed "trophy" mounted on your wall - how sick do you have to be to have a murdered animal as decor - and be proud of it?!?!

I do understand that, unfortunately due to introduced species, we (humans as a species) may be forced to perform culls on certain animals that have become pests from time to time - but surely there is a more humane way?

[donnashuggy]

My husband used to go duck shooting, it was terrible though because they still had bullets in them when I made the curry.