Pig dogging is a legal blood “sport” that permits dogs to chase and latch onto wild pigs until the hunter catches up and stabs them to death. The pigs scream out in pain as the dogs hold them by their sensitive ears, cheeks and legs. The hunters claim that pig dogging is necessary due to pigs being non-native. However, pig doggers are far removed from their rhetoric of being “conservationists”. Evidence shows a large numbers of parks across Australia are populated with wild animals due to relocation by hunters, who are “seeding” the areas for future hunts [1].
Pig dogging is a legal exception to Section 18 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA): (2) A person must not: (a) cause, procure, permit, encourage or incite a fight in which one or more animals are pitted against another animal or animals, whether of the same species or not, or: in addition, the act of killing the animal must be such that no undue pain or suffering is inflicted on the animal.
In addition, POCTA 1979 requires that a person who hunts an animal must do so in a manner that does not inflict unnecessary pain on the animal. (2) For the purposes of this Act, a reference to an act of cruelty committed upon an animal includes a reference to any act or omission as a consequence of which the animal is unreasonably, unnecessarily or unjustifiably: (a) beaten, kicked, killed, wounded, pinioned, mutilated, maimed, abused, tormented, tortured, terrified or infuriated.
Regulations for hunting with dogs changes between the states and territories. In NSW, it is legal for dogs to ‘locate, hold, and bite’ the pigs, whilst in Victoria, dogs can use used to ‘point or flush’ pigs but not to ‘attack or hold pigs’. The pigs suffer more when holding is allowed, and it also increases the chances of injury for the dogs. In NSW, a solo hunter can use up to three dogs, while a group of hunters can have five. [1 PDF]
Welfare issues
There are a range of health and welfare risks for pig-dogs. These range from injuries, punishment-based training techniques, and poor quality of life, to over-breeding, early retirement, and culling or dumping. [1 PDF]
Breeding
Pig-dogs are most commonly medium-large mixed-breeds, such as Bull Arabs, Bull Terriers, and Wolfhounds. In some jurisdictions they have been declared “dangerous” due to their breed, subjecting them to housing restrictions. The dogs are selected based on their hunting ability, boldness, intelligence and strength. It is estimated that around 780,000 pig-dogs are born annually in Australia [1 PDF]. It is logical to make the assumption that some of the dogs bred are a surplus beyond the “replacements”, creating an unknown amount of “wastage”. Dogs who do not have the correct behaviour traits, or lack aggression, may be culled if they do not find homes [1 PDF].
Training and housing
A dog’s behaviour is heavily influenced by genetics and environmental factors. There is limited research on how pig-dogs are kept, however, single kennels are typically recommended. Although recommendations for kennel requirements exists, it is unlikely that these laws are enforced. Many dogs are also tethered, which restricts movement, exposes them to the elements, and provides no comfort. These living conditions can lead to aggression caused by frustration. Some hunting dogs are reported as being ‘stoic’, whilst others have been known to attack humans and other animals. Research shows that isolating a puppy can increase their aggression.
In addition to this, some hunters use punishment and fear to curb behaviour, for example, electric shock collars. This can increase the dogs aggression and anxiety [1 PDF].
Injuries
Hunting dogs are at risk of “heat exhaustion, poisoning, vehicular trauma, snake bite, accidental shooting, and dehydration while hunting” [1 PDF]. In Australia, dogs are required to wear a protective neck collar. This provides no protection to their vulnerable chests and abdomen. Many dogs suffer from horrific puncture wounds, caused by the large tusks of wild pigs. Veterinarians often report injuries sustained by the dogs. As hunts take place in rural areas, dogs are likely to suffer without treatment for long periods of time. As a result, some hunters bring “staple guns” to patch up the dogs, according to undercover witness reports. Dogs can die from these wounds.
Lost dogs
Many hunters have started using GPS collars and strobe lights to reduce the chance of a losing a dog. In saying this, some dogs still get lost due to chasing the wrong animal, or injury. An injured or lost dog is susceptible to dehydration, starvation, or becoming a stray.
Retirement and death
There is little research surrounding the “retirement” age of pig-dogs. A New Zealand study found the average age of pig-dogs to be three years. Older dogs are either re-homed, kept as breeders, or killed. Pig-dogs may have difficulty finding new homes, and will most likely struggle with house-training and unfamiliar environments. They likely face problems similar to ex-racing greyhounds due to their chasing-prey nature.
In Australia, it is legal to kill a “working” dog when they are no longer needed or are “failing” at their “job”. A study found that 21% were killed upon “retirement”. They can be killed by a veterinarian, or a gunshot. This number could be much higher, as people do not have to report their dog’s death. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826489/ In addition to this, there is little chance of catching someone who kills their dogs via other methods.
Source : Animal Liberation
The Animal Reader