Animal contest kill events have become an increasingly popular fundraising tool for both public and private groups. At these events participants pay an entry fee and compete to kill the most, largest, and/or heaviest squirrels or other animals. A recent squirrel killing contest held by the Holley, NY Fire Department has resulted in global condemnation of this type of event. We the undersigned believe that animal kill contests have no place in Texas or anywhere.
We oppose animal kill contests for the following reasons:
The contests promote and encourage the cruel, unnecessary killing of animals for fun and entertainment.
By removing large numbers of individuals of a species in one area, they can have an adverse impact on predator species and the local environment.
Large numbers of animals will be wounded and suffer needlessly, especially when inexperienced hunters are encouraged to participate in kill contests for fundraising.
They present a public safety risk by concentrating large numbers of hunters in a small area.
Animal kill contests violate a basic ethical principal that is followed by many, if not most hunters, that animals should not be killed wastefully. Texas is a state with a long and respected tradition of hunting, but public killing contests have no place in this tradition. Please introduce and pass legislation outlawing animal kill contests in the state of Texas.
