Italy: Large Demonstration Against Recreational Hunting

On Saturday, 15 September 2018, well-meaning people took to the streets in Florence, starting from Piazza dell'Indipendenza, to demonstrate in defence of wildlife and to commemorate the victims who are shot every year by hobby hunters.

Activists from across Italy travelled by bus and train, among other means. The protest took place on the eve of the new hunting season.

Recreational hunting is not a hobby, but a war

"After years of silence, recreational hunting and all its victims are once again being talked about in Italy," says Massimo Vitturi of the LAC (Lega Abolizione Caccia). "For this reason, we already launched a campaign in 2017 to make everyone understand that recreational hunting is not a hobby — it is war."

Vitturi has collected more than 60’000 signatures through a petition calling for the abolition of recreational hunting, which has been submitted to both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

Almost half a billion animals per year

Roe deer, foxes, birds: in Italy, hobby hunters kill almost half a billion animals every year — eight times the country’s human population. Protected species are also hunted, as well as those already struggling due to habitat loss, land use, pesticides, and climate change.

Hunting victim statistics 2017/2018

Recreational hunting is also the sport that injures and kills people. The association of hunting victims compiled a dossier on hunting weapon casualties at the end of the hunting season:

• Civilian non-hunters: 34, of whom 24 were injured and 10 killed
• Hobby hunters: 81, of whom 60 were injured and 20 killed
• Total: 85 injured and 30 killed
• 3 victims were minors, of whom 2 were injured and 1 killed

More on animal rights and on Animal Welfare Problem of Recreational Hunting.