No Constitutional 'Right' To Hunt, Say Animal Advocates

No Constitutional 'Right' To Hunt, Say Animal Advocates
by ANC Staff and The Fund for Animals

Posted on November 24, 2003

On November 18 the House Game and Fisheries Committee passed a joint
resolution (H.B. 1512) proposing to amend the state constitution to grant
residents of Pennsylvania the 'right' to hunt.

The decision has provoked strong protest from The Fund for Animals, a
national animal protection organization with 9,000 members and active
supporters in Pennsylvania.

"The constitution is a sacred document which shouldn't be used as a graffiti
wall for political rhetoric," The Fund's National Director, Heidi Prescott,
said.

"To establish constitutional protections for recreational pursuits such as
hunting is not only inappropriate, but redundant." she said. "Nearly a
million people already hunt in Pennsylvania without having that 'right'
enshrined in the constitution."

Prescott said the bill may expose the Pennsylvania Game Commission to
lawsuits from hunters who do not think any restriction on hunting is
reasonable - wanting larger bag limits, longer season dates, and additional
species to shoot.

"If one special interest group is allowed to use the state constitution for
its purposes, the floodgates will be opened for other groups to follow,"
said Prescott. "What's next? An amendment allowing the right to play golf or
go shopping?"

Only a handful of states across America have "right-to-hunt" amendments in
their constitutions. Most states have rejected such measures.

"Legislators in most states - even major hunting states - have had the
common sense to defeat bills granting constitutional status to sport
hunting," said Prescott. "The citizens of Pennsylvania do not need to add a
silly provision protecting a recreational hobby."

Sources
The Fund for Animals
www.fund.org
November 18 Press Release


-- 
James Ehlers

Outdoors Magazine
www.outdoorsmagazine.net