Vets in animal welfare dogfight

However, vets say it is not their role to judge owners over the blood sport.

“As far as we are concerned the animal comes first,” Orange Veterinary Hospital’s Kim Rolls said.

However, he recommends dog owners rest their  animals for an appropriate amount of time after injury and put protective breastplates on them for hunting.

“It is not our role to comment, our role is to do what is best for the animals,” he said.

Mr Rolls believes improvments in animal welfare have changed people’s attitudes  regarding feral animal hunting.

“I grew up in the Pilliga area [northern NSW] where hunting feral animals was prevalent and I can say it was quite cruel in those days. Things are a lot better now in terms of animal welfare,” he said.

Another Orange vet, who does not to be named, says while there is an ethical dilemma involved for some vets the majority of clients with injured dogs are caring owners.

“While a blood sport is not something I would choose to do, these owners absolutely love their animals and are quite distressed if they are injured,” the vet said.

The vet said hunting dogs were often vulnerable to snake bites while out in the bush.

“Anti-venom treatment is expensive, but the owners of the dogs I have treated don’t even think twice about that,’ the vet said.

“They just want to see their dogs well again.”

Mr Rolls acknowledged there were some rogue hunters who disregarded animal welfare.

“But you get that rogue element in any section of society and if you have a group of blokes together, usually the others in the group won’t tolerate animal cruelty,” he said.

“You only have to go down to the RSPCA at night and see the domestic pets that are dumped in the kennels that haven’t been looked after properly,” he said.

Both vets say they don’t take a public stance on hunting feral animals because they don’t want to discourage owners bringing in their injured dogs.

“For us [vets] the animal always has to come first, whatever our stance on hunting is,” Mr Rolls said.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said in a statement the animal welfare organisation was concerned hunting activities and practices had the potential for significant suffering, with both pigs and injured dogs enduring pain and distress.

* For the RSPCA’s stance on recreational hunting see tomorrow’s Central Western Daily.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au