Hunting Dog Owners Fear Much More At Stake

The leader of one of the state’s sporting dog organizations says a recently approved Kanawha County ordinance may very well be a covert effort to eliminate hunting with dogs. 

Gary Knapp, president of the West Virginia Bear Hunters Association appeared before the Kanawha County Commission last week to raise his concerns about the stiff stipulations of the ordinance, aimed at preventing mistreatment of dogs.  

"We could live with most of it," said Knapp on West Virginia Outdoors. "But it doesn’t matter if you have beagle dogs, squirrel dogs, coon dogs, bear dogs, or bird dogs, they’re outside dogs.  They’re temperament is for outside activities.  It’s like putting a bull in a china shop."

Knapp says the ordinance, as it was approved, requires dog owners to bring their animals in the house when temperatures outside go above 85 degrees or below 40 degrees.   The range would encompass more than half the year in West Virginia.  Knapp say it also renders the dog ineffective on a hunt if he or she isn’t in proper condition.

"You have to get the animal used to the environment he’s going to be functioning in," said Knapp.  "If you sit in an air conditioned office all day, then go home and try to mow the yard, it’s had on you.   These animals need to be conditioned to the environment they’re going to hunt in."

Bear hunting season is in December, coon hunting and rabbit hunting are wintertime pursuits and 40-degrees would be considered a warm temperature during those months.

Nobody seems sure of just where the writers of the ordinance came up with the arbitrary figures of 40-degrees and 85-degrees.   Knapp says he was told by the attorney for the Humane Society it was a recommendation of their organization.    The Humane Society of the United States has long been opposed to any and all hunting.  Knapp says there was a not-so-veiled indication that may be what’s at play here.

"When I was speaking to the commission, one of my friends who’s a coon hunter was sitting beside me and a lady from the Humane Society was sitting behind him," explained Knapp. "When I explained to the commission this would end bear hunting, her reaction was, "
Good!""

Knapp and other dog enthusiasts fear the ordinance is well on its way across the state.  

"It’s like the smoking ban, which started in Kanawha County. This will spread just like it did to other counties," said Knapp.

The Kanawha County Commission did agree to put a six-month moratorium on the ordinance to address the hunters’ concerns.   Knapp says they hope they can work with the commission to solve the issue and preserve bear hunting in the county.

"There’s not enough bear hunters that live in Kanawha County and that’s evident.   That’s why they have to get guys from other parts of the state and out of state, to hunt these bears," said Knapp. "They can’t stay out there in a camper or even in a motel, stake their dogs out and comply.