A Lesson in Foxhunting
Author: Linda Witouski
AKC Judge, Delegate, Legislative Liaison
From the above article – written in 2002
Permission to re-print granted by author
I know dog owners are
probably finding all of this Legislative hoopla hard to believe, and
some of you probably think that the AKC should be fighting this battle
for you, but it is impossible for them to be on top of every state. If
you think that legislation denying you your right to breed, own, or show
dogs doesn’t have a chance in the U.S., think of the Scots and their
beloved Foxhunting. How long have the people in Scotland and neighboring
countries been foxhunting? It is now banned in Scotland and barely on
life support in all other areas. Why, you ask – what happened . . . how
could the politicians do that?
The animal rightists continually
pushed and forced the debate until their thoughts and beliefs were THE
political issue . . . and the Foxhound Fanciers were not ready for it.
They were not prepared! They thought the ARs would just give up and go
away. They laughed about it . . . they thought that somebody else was
taking care of the problem . . . didn’t think it was important . . . so,
they gathered their dogs, jumped on their horses and went foxhunting!!
Why, who would ever even imagine that the foxhound sport that has been
around since dirt could be attacked by a bunch of “fanatics” who would
win? But, win they did!
At the end of the day’s hunt on the day
of the ban, when the Foxhunters returned, they were arrested, dogs were
confiscated, and all of Scotland was quiet.
Anybody what to take
bets on how long it will be before the first ban of a dog/cat show takes
place and people begin to lose their own dogs? No bets? How about
betting on how long it takes before the U.S. is overrun with anti-dog,
anti-cat, anti-animal legislation? Everybody needs to sit up and pay
attention? The animal rights movement is coming, and when it does, it
will come hard and fast!
The dog showing fancy have always
thought of themselves as better than the average dog owner, and though
they may well be for a variety of reasons – commercial facilities have a
right to exist too. “Puppy mil” and commercial breeders have been
fighting anti-animal legislation for many years and it’s time the
showing/owning fancy get with the program before it’s too late. People
need to set aside their feelings about others and concentrate on saving
their right – our rights – working together. Those that make
disrespectful comments about others, who joke and laugh about
legislative issues and point fingers at the “puppy mills”, should take
heed of the lesson to be learned in Foxhunting. I would be willing to
bet that very few bother to check legislative issues in their town or
state. I assure you, this agenda against our rights will move from state
to state, for those who would see us dogless will be relentless in their
quest. What will you do when it comes to your town? What would you give
to be able to regain the freedom of choice you will have lost?
Fast forward to the present – 2008
I wrote the above in 2002,
and it’s alarming that many still don’t find it important enough to
assist in politics and legislative issues. Make no mistake – we are
surrounded. The Animal Rights Movement is even worse now than in 2002.
If you take note of the legislation being passed around the country,
outlaying and coastal states are being coerced into stricter laws.
California, Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New
York, and Wisconsin are currently being besieged with bad legislation
and notably, they create a net that surrounds the remainder of the U.S.
Results there cause an “inward” push into the traditional heartland of
our country. Once outlying states are acquired, they will continue to
push inland until there is nowhere to run.
Those that have been
working legislation for many years have become very good at combating
poor legislation, but, just like the Spartans at Thermopylae, the
opposition is in the millions and sooner or later our phalanx will fail.
It should be the opposite since we are the ones that care about animals,
the dogs, and the sport.
People don’t realize that the Animal
Rights movement has nothing to do with the welfare of the animals –
genuine animal welfare is being sacrificed for a political victory over
animal owners. As the Foxhunting lesson taught us – a movement’s means
create its ends . . . so, the next time you think none of this will
affect you or your dog, or that “it’ll never pass” – think about
Foxhunting – and, if you still decide to “do nothing,” know that you
will have become a part of that movement meant to create its ends.
Every club, organization, and dog owner needs to rise up and take
their place in the phalanx. We need to be visiting schools and promoting
our political position rather than allowing Animal Rights public
education programs to infiltrate school systems. We need to encourage
young people who have a love for animals to join us by taking them under
our wing. We need to offer assistance to those who have been injured by
some dog in Small Town, USA. We need public service announcements to
advertise both local dog clubs and responsible ownership, offering free
“responsible ownership” classes to parents and children.
Most
importantly, we need to know our politicians by creating voting
alliances in every state and let those in politics know that we are
watching them. We need to make our presence known, and what we stand for
by introducing ourselves to local governments, even if it means
assisting with some other issue that is non animal related – something
that is near and dear to a politician that you helped them with will go
far when you need it. (It wouldn’t’ hurt to run for a political position
either!)
There are a million other ideas that clubs, officers,
members, and owners can come up with if they would only take the time to
sit down, discuss, and then DO it . . . before it’s too late!
That is, unless, of course, you are all out . . . Foxhunting.
