Animal Talk/News

By Todd De Haven

I am so indebted to Lisa Scott Fisher for explaining to me what fox “hunting” really entails. Although the term is “hunting,” it should more realistically be fox “chasing.” Lisa took great pains to point out that the goal of fox hunting does not entail any intentional harm to the fox nor does it entail the use of weapons. Rather it all revolves around bragging rights for a particular hound. In fox hunting, the hunters gather with their hounds which are then turned loose to track and chase the fox. The hunters more often than not, sit around a campfire and listen to their hounds. They can tell by the sounds, which dog is leading the chase. Eventually the fox finds a hiding place and the “hunt” ends. Lisa also informed me there are several “Fox lots” in Greene County. Enclosed areas of as much as 100 acres (or maybe more), fox lots as well as foxes are maintained specifically for the sport. The lots provide their own foxes which they treat with the same care and concern the hunters treat their hounds. As an example, one owner of a popular fox lot in Greene County feeds his foxes the finest dog food, provides all their necessary shots and even creates other than just the natural hiding places for his foxes to safely hide from the dogs.It appears now that the proposed legislation to legalize fox “hunting” was in effect an effort to legalize the trapping of foxes. As it also increasingly appears, the recent bill legalizing cable snares was merely a preparatory measure to legalizing fox trapping. I say that simply because after spending over twelve hours on the internet learning about how best to control the excessive coyote and what was erroneously implied fox overpopulation, I learned that aside from being both cruel and barbaric, trapping using any form of leg hold trap is not that effective in long term population control for either animal. I have heard that trappers have told people that there is very little chance of a pet being ensnared in any leg hold trap and could provide not one instance. Well, I learned just this past week of a Greene Countian whose cat suddenly disappeared for two weeks. Then one day, it reappeared, starving and crawling in an agony of pain into the yard with a leg hold trap still attached to it’s leg. Although the poor animal survived, it’s leg had to be amputated. Let’s be realistic here. Although I’m sure there are some trappers who would, do you believe the average trapper is going to admit ensnaring a pet in one of their devices? What about those of you who have pets who have come home with a terribly injured leg? How many have had their pets wander off never to return. Could any of these two type incidents ever be related to leg hold traps? I’ll allow you to draw your own conclusions. I am just proud that Greene County did not itself fall for the bill of goods that quite possibly, did many other Tennessee Counties.

ByTodd De Haven

Over the years I have often written, as many of you will recall, about Adelaide Laurie, affectionately known by us as the Staten Island Cat Lady. Adelaide is my wife’s niece who resides in Staten Island, New York,. The widow of hero New York City Police Officer Rocco Laurie who along with his partner, Gregory Foster were gunned down in 1972 while walking their beat in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, Adelaide has devoted her life since that traumatic event to animal welfare.Escorted by her cousin, my wife’s son Kenneth Anderson, she was honored as the Hudson County New Jersey Animal League’s “Humanitarian of the Year” at an immense banquet attended by major community leaders. Hudson County encompasses the cities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken and Union City and is located across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan and Staten Island.We are indeed so very proud that Adelaide has received this signal honor and I say with no reservation whatsoever, that I could never think of a more deserving recipient. What makes the award even more special was that it came as an utter surprise. As the MC of the event related the qualities of the person receiving the award, Adelaide kept wondering upon just whom in the vast audience such extensive praise was being heaped. She tells us she was almost paralyzed when her name was announced as being the recipient. As is always the case with Adelaide in such instances, aside from being greatly honored, she was also humbled by the prestigious award, repeating that she was most undeserving. Having no idea that her sister, two nieces and her nephew had been advised of the impending award, their sudden appearance only added to Adelaide

’s thrill. Congratulations Ad, from all of the Animal Talk crowd in Greene County, Tennessee!__________________