Remember that Malamut that got killed by a hunter?

[katqanna]

New Bill to Protect Pets on Public Lands

A new bill aims to add repercussions for the accidental killing of companion animals on public lands.

The bill is named the "Little Dave Act" in honor of a malamute accidentally shot and killed by a wolf-hunter near a Lolo Pass campground last year.

Proposed by the Humane Society of Western Montana, the bill's purpose is to "make someone who injures or kills a companion animal on Montana public lands responsible for his or her actions." A "Little Dave Act" fact sheet says there are currently no civil or criminal penalties when someone kills a companion animal on public land.

Lora O'Connor, Executive Director of Humane Society of Western Montana, said, "There's nothing in the laws that says it's illegal to kill a companion pet on public lands, so this law would make it so the person who killed the dog, or you know, the companion animal, responsible for his or her actions."


Unlawfully killing a game animal can mean fines of up to $8,000. Criminal mischief and a fine of $5,000 can be awarded to someone who purposefully injures livestock.

The Humane Society hopes to pass the bill during the 2015 legislative session.

Just tried to find the bill language in the Laws Lookup, but I cant find anything by title search or scrolling through the whole list. Bookmarked some placeholder bills we may need to keep an eye on. I'll check later when I have more time. The language of this might include trapping.

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

Please keep us in the loop. All we need is more stupid laws !!!

 

[RobG]

So many lies right off the bat... According to what I read there are actually remedies available if you accidentally shoot a pet... Spence could have sued the the shooter but when the shooter tried to apologize he screamed "leave before I kill you" or words to that effect. The dude left and now poor old Spence don't know who he is and the sheriff is withholding his name.

It is also a crime if the shooter had criminal intent, but everyone agrees this was an accident.

If Spence didn't seem like such a lying anti-hunting zealot I would have some sympathy, but sheesh...

 

[Hem]

The best dog I ever had was a malamute.Went everywhere with me,even some of the higher peaks in this state.This was when I was younger and more full of myself,...but if someone gunned down MY dog in front of me,not certain there would be a calm rational response such as "can you please wait for the authorities to come?".I would have gone forking ballistic.

 

[RobG]

The best dog I ever had was a malamute.Went everywhere with me,even some of the higher peaks in this state.This was when I was younger and more full of myself,...but if someone gunned down MY dog in front of me,not certain there would be a calm rational response such as "can you please wait for the authorities to come?".I would have gone forking ballistic.

Yea, me too, and I probably don't sound very classy and I'll probably get called out for it but Spence's story from the start was a big slanderous lie told to the press for effect (a guy in camo jumped out of the woods with an assault rifle - then it turned out that it was a guy in hunter orange (camo pattern) with a gun that may have been semi-automatic).

The hunter did come forward on his own to talk with the sheriff and I remember hearing that there was "significant differences" with his version of the story but the sheriff was advised not to release the details. I would have thought he'd be obligated to release the name to Spence, but I guess not. Given the lies, I can't say I care.

For those not familiar with it I'd post a link to the story but don't want spend five hours finding the 25 different versions of it that came to light as the details became known.

I'm at a conference in Portland (whoopdy flipp'n do) so if you want to launch into me for defending slob hunters and all that have at it but I won't be able to reply .

PS, yes, everyone once in a while I have to shock the living daylights out of my friends by being such an insensitive redneck; it is therapeutic.

 

[RobG]

http://www.volokh.com/2011/07/11/political-ignorance-and-caylees-law/

Laws named after crime victims and dead people are usually a bad idea. They play more to emotion than reason.

I wonder what he would say about laws named after dogs.

 

[Hem]

I really never followed the story.Sounds like they are both idiots.I kept my dog out of the woods during gun season for the very reason there are idiots that wouldn't know a wolf from a coyote from a malamute.In the end my dog threw a disc which paralyzed him on the spot, x-rays showed he carried some lead bird shot from his early years.Probably wasn't mistaken identity,but more him being a trouble maker. Still miss that dog 14 years later.....