Animal extremists know that “divide and conquer,” as a political device, works. They know that hunters who use dogs make up a minority of the hunting population, and the best way to destroy hunting entirely – or so they hope – is to pick our community apart, one segment at a time.
In recent years, this “divide-and-conquer” strategy on dog-related issues has grown in complexity and illustrates an emerging danger for hunting long term. In previous decades, animal extremists would openly seek outright bans or prohibitions on the use of dogs – such as we saw in the 1980s and 1990s when a cascade of hounding bans hit ballot boxes and legislatures across America. While these attacks continue today, overall, they are increasingly rare.
What is becoming more routine is for “animal welfare” measures to be introduced, many under the guise of preventing “animal cruelty,” but having far-reaching effects that will crater our interests just as effectively as an outright ban.
This isn’t rocket science. The animal extremists have used emotion to push, prod and drive their extreme viewpoints down the throats of everyday Americans. For years, loaded verbiage and messaging around breeding and selling purpose-driven dogs have cast a shadow on anyone who “shops” instead of “adopts,” despite the critical role responsible breeders play in developing healthy, specialized hunting lines. This emotional blackmail, and the resulting legislation it spawns, must be stopped.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance is committed to continuing to protect proven breeding, kenneling, and training techniques that impact every breed and hunter going afield with a sporting dog.
Hunting Dog Issues We Defend
How the Sportsmen’s Alliance has protected hunting with dogs nationwide
Hunting Fights
- SAF Sues USFWS to Restore Dog Hunting on Vermont Refuge
- Hunting Dog Bill Amended in Pennsylvania
- Anti-Hunters Petition to End Dog Hunting on National Forest
- Washington Creates Program for Cougar Hunting
- Vermont Bill Bans Coyote, Bear Hunting
- West Virginia Bill Allows Dogs to Track Wounded Bear and Deer
- Maine Bill Prohibits Pursuing Game with Dogs
Tethering Laws
- Nevada Tethering Bill Amended, Passed
- Virginia Legislators Reject Governor’s Tethering Restrictions
- Alabama Tethering Bill Needs More Protections for Sportsmen
- New Mexico Tethering Bill Amended, Still Not Acceptable
- Louisiana Parish Restrictions Run Amok
- Fast Tracked: Delaware Tethering Bill
- Oregon Anti-Tethering Bill Clears House
Kennel Regulations
- Pennsylvania Bill Creates Building Code for Dog Houses
- Michigan Bill Overregulates Outside Dogs
- New Hampshire Outdoor Dog Ban Stopped in Committee
- Massachusetts Trifecta Bill Impacts Kennels, Breeders and Dog Sales
- Wisconsin Legislator Seeks to Ban Outdoor Dogs
- Texas House Legislation Restricts Dogs Outside
- Arizona Bill Mandates Inspection Requirements
Breeding Laws
- Sportsmen’s Alliance Sues CDC Over Puppy Import Rules
- Texas Extremists Push Excessive Breeder Bill to Governor
- Government Overreach in Indianapolis
- New Hampshire Bill Attacks Dog Breeders
- Vague Bill Defines “Commercial Breeder” in Tennessee
- California Bill Overregulates Breeders
- Georgia County Seeks to Ban Intact Dogs
Animal “Welfare”
- Illinois Considers Giving Dogs Lawyers
- Indiana’s Pro-Hunting Dog Care Bill
- Washington Bill Equates Canine Suffering to Human Experiences
- Florida Joins “Dogs with Lawyers” Trend
- Rhode Island Bill Confiscates Dogs for Minor Infractions
- South Carolina Bill Removes Hunting Protections from Code
- California Bill Gives Extremists Litigation Tool
