Hobby hunter kills Husky instead of wolf and skins it
She boasts of having killed a wolf, but it was a Husky.
Canadian hobby hunter Amber Rose Barnes from Montana proudly posted a photo of herself on Facebook, smiling and posing with the carcass of a dog she had killed and skinned in the forest.
At the time, she believed the animal was a wolf. However, many users quickly pointed out that it was not a wolf but a dog – a Husky. In addition to the enormous outrage that was sparked, an investigation has now been opened.
Amber Rose Barnes and other hobby hunters clearly have no qualms about killing animals, regardless of how young they are. Hobby hunters in Montana and Idaho also torment wolves with traps that crush their legs, and shoot juveniles while they sleep in their dens. Due to speciesism, hobby hunters believe they only cross a line when they kill the wrong kind of dog.
Just like dogs, humans, and countless other animals, wolves also suffer grief and depression when they lose a beloved partner. Since wolves mate for life, remain faithful to their partners, and live in close-knit packs where everyone pitches in, killing even a single wolf ruins multiple lives. It is speciesist to deny other animals the love and consideration we show our «best friends».
What is shocking about this story is not only that she killed and skinned a dog, but also that she posted the story in the expectation that it would be celebrated around the world.
Leslie Williams, co-founder of the #RelistWolves Campaign
«There is an entire subculture of radical wolf haters in the northern Rocky Mountains, and unfortunately the laws of these states allow them to hunt without regard for ethical standards.»
Authorities investigate
These photos were taken by the sheriff's office and handed over to a state wildlife biologist, said Greg Lemon, spokesperson for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.
The biologist determined that the remains belonged to an approximately 6-month-old domestic dog, according to Lemon. Officials were investigating whether the woman had a proper license to hunt wolves, he said. The sheriff's office is investigating both the shooting of the dog and the abandonment of the other dogs, but declined to release further information.
Lemon said that accurately identifying animals before shooting is a fundamental principle of hunting.
«The vast majority of hobby hunters make sure, when pulling the trigger, that the animal in their sights is the animal for which they hold a hunting license«, he said.
