Two weeks ago we read in The Citizen the tragic story of Fender, a beloved family dog wearing a collar, that was shot by an irresponsible hunter who claimed Fender was running deer.

That same week another story was in the news of two dogs in Lamar County, also family dogs wearing collars, who were shot by hunters.

This past week a self-proclaimed 72-year-old hunter wrote a letter in The Citizen in which he blamed Fender’s owners for his death, saying, “You put the hunter in a situation where he had to act, which he did by the law of Georgia, collar or no collar and identification.”

Not only is this an incredibly cruel thing to say to a grieving family, but it is untrue. The law is quite clear. Georgia Code 27-3-49(b): “It shall be unlawful for any person other than a conservation ranger, sheriff, or deputy sheriff to kill a dog wearing a collar, which dog is or has been pursuing or killing a deer.” The hunter who shot Fender was committing a criminal act.

Hunting deer is necessary to control the over-population and most hunters are responsible sportsmen who know the law and exercise good judgment. Part of the problem is that Georgia Code 27-3-49(c) states, “It shall not be unlawful for any person to kill a dog which does not have a collar and which is pursuing or killing deer in any locality other than that prescribed by law ....”

This part of the statute was intended to allow hunters to use their judgment in shooting dogs that were obviously wild and a threat to deer. It was not intended to let hunters shoot a dog that was obviously a family pet, but the way it is written if Fifi, the 10-pound poodle, slips out of her collar and chases a deer, a hunter can shoot her.

The law needs to be changed and 27-3-49(c) stricken from the code. Responsible hunters wouldn’t shoot a dog merely for spoiling a shot at a deer, but some do.

As more incidents like these occur, fewer areas will allow deer hunting, and the deer over-population problem will increase. It is in the best interests of responsible hunters and dog owners to contact their state senator or representative to change the law and thereby protect hunter’s access and dog’s lives.

Rick Schultz
Peachtree City, Ga.