It is way past time that Hunters are held accountable for shooting animals they do not have the intelligence to identify.
Valley Calderoni was just coming to the end of her usual Monday hike with her colleague and the 10 dogs under their care from a Squamish, B.C, rehabilitation centre — when tragedy struck.
Calderoni says as they were gathering the dogs for their return, she heard a loud and unfamiliar bang and instinctively crouched down.
“And I look up, and I see my dog, and she was bleeding,” said Calderoni. “I turned around and said, ‘Markie, oh my God, my dog has been shot.'”
Calderoni ran to Kaoru, a four-year-old Tamaskan, and while she held the dog, she heard her colleague Markie Blackburn yell: “Put the gun down.”
“All I can see is my dog getting shot — her face, her eyes looking at me with absolute disbelief,” Calderoni said.
“I held her and I told her to go, just go, and she died.”
Squamish RCMP and conservation officers soon arrived, and the hunter remained for questioning.
Conservation officer Kent Popjes says the man was a local resident and had been hunting for some time.
“He was completely co-operative with the investigation,” said Popjes. “It appears to be an error in judgment.”
Popjes wouldn’t say whether the man had mistaken the dog for another animal, but said it is legal hunting season on Crown land for mule deer and black bears. Wolves are also in season in parts of the surrounding area, but not where the shooting took place, according to conservation officers.
The incident happened on Crown land close to the highway near Lucille Lake, half an hour north of Squamish.
Kaoru’s 1st owner couldn’t care for the traumatized puppy
Calderoni says Kaoru was just a puppy when she was given over to her rehab facility.
Kaoru’s owner found it too difficult to care for her after she had become traumatized, anxious and depressed following a cross-Canada flight.
After thousands of hours of training, Kaoru worked at Canine Valley as an emotional therapy dog, helping autistic children and people with emotional challenges.
Calderoni recalls how Kaoru helped one of her clients who was struggling to come to grips with the loss of his wife, who had died in a car accident.
The three went for a walk in the woods, and she asked her client to lie on the ground and take some deep breaths.
“My dog just came and laid on top him, and she let him get it out,” she says. “He cried for the first time. He just let go and Kaoru knew what to do.”
Message for other hunters
Popjes says it’s unclear what charges will be laid, if any, but is cautioning other hunters.
“Take your time, slow down, take a breath and make sure you know exactly what you are shooting at is a safe and legal animal,” he said. “As a hunter, it’s your responsibility to completely identify the target before you pull the trigger.”
Calderoni also wants to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
“I don’t want anyone to go through the pain of watching your soulmate die in front of you.”
The investigation is ongoing.
Source: Hunter shoots and kills therapy dog in front of owner – British Columbia – CBC News
Comments
I would have jumped the imbecile and scratched his eyes out. Blind men can’t hunt. I would be charged with assault. Probably do no time. I think that balances things out nicely.
It is way past due that hunters are kept accountable for shooting animals without knowing what they are killing and where hunting is allowed. It is becoming more and more of a problem with such great consequences causing the death of our beloved four legged pets besides risking the the chance of killing innocent humans walking them. Seeing your loved ones shot in front of you is a shock on its own but knowing the authorities just let them go without facing prosecution is altogether another thing.. To be able to have a firearm and be so irresponsible not knowing what you are killing before shooting is so uncalled for by these kind of hunters. They become so trigger happy and anxious to kill anything without facing the proper consequences and I think they should be held accountable for their reckless actions. It is becoming so often that we no longer can just go for a walk and feel safe. Therefore it is time for these hunters to be arrested for negligence, irresponsible and caring a firearm with no respect. We also can not replace our loved one who mean the world to us. It is only common sense to know and respect the deadly weapon in your hands. You can go on many courses for learning how to use it but if you can’t apply it you shouldn’t own one. Thank you for listening to a very important message.
I cannot adequately express the deep sorrow I and so many, many others are feeling right now. This sweet and caring therapy dog killed like this. She is a true hero. The owner is a woman who devoted her life to helping others – the shocking and cruel way she lost her K9 partner is inexcusable.
This hunter needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. What was he doing shooting at people with their dogs? Obviously this person was in a “kill mode” that superceded any rational thought or sense. Is this a person that should be wandering around with a gun?
The sad truth is that this is not an isolated incident. These killer hunters will shoot anything that moves without regard saying that they “made a mistake” if they’re caught. How long before children are killed?
These actions need to be criminalized under the law with very, very harsh penalties. As we see here in this terrible situation many lives can be destroyed beyond repair.