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Animal Defenders of Westchester |
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Home Page We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts. Animal Defenders of Westchester |
Letters
From Matt, a Bowhunter Hello ADOW. It was just by chance that I discovered your site. Specifically, the article on "wildlife corridors", which I think is a
great idea, is what led me here. After quickly looking over the site I was
pleased to see that ADOW advocates on issues such as animal experimentation,
traveling animal acts, cruelty and so on. Those categories are by far the
most widespread forms of animal abuse and exploitation, not sport hunting.
Ok, the bad news - I am a bowhunter. Unfortunately I am viewed by many (ADOW) only as that, a hunter. But I am
also a fisherman, husband, father, animal and nature lover and this list
goes on. In my lifetime I have helped and saved more creatures than I have
harvested as a hunter. This began back in the second grade when I ran out of
my classroom to the aid of a gull (and to the surprise of my teacher) that
was struck by a car after someone threw bread out for the birds. Anyway it
is nice to see your efforts concentrated mainly where they are most needed
and not just anti- hunting. Those wildlife corridors are needed because of
developement. Too many deer? No, too many people. When I occasionally see a deer here
in Yonkers where I live I think "wow that`s great to see such wildlife in
the city". Or is it ? If I was a deer ( I am sure you are wishing that I
become one in my next life!!!) I would not choose Yonkers for my home. They
have no choice. I guess what I want to say is that it`s great to see an organization
doing what yours is and has done in the past. Matt Reply from Kiley Blackman Hi Matt, Sorry for the delay getting back to you; I've been busy - but I also
needed time to think about your letter. I took your letter seriously, and not as a put-on. As it happens, I know
other nice, decent people who hunt; my neighbor does - he has also rescued
dogs and cats and is a lovely person. He says hunting 'relaxes' him; I tell
him it doesn't do much for the animals. But we are friends. I found your letter almost heartbreaking; you clearly 'get it,' even
while you refer to 'harvesting' deer, instead of calling it what it is,
which is 'killing.' We fight against euphemisms for, I think, the obvious
reasons. And I applaud all your efforts to help animals, even as a child,
so wonderful; I think the biggest problem I have with your note is that
you're a bowhunter. I know for fact this causes more suffering and
lingering pain to the animal than shooting does; all I can make of someone
as decent as you present yourself, being a bowhunter the animal must be
'just' a target to you - I can't believe you don't realize the extra
suffering you are inflicting. I appreciate you contacting me, and I wish you and your family a
prosperous, wonderful, blessed life. Thank you for acknowledging my work.
Please feel free to contact me at any time. Kiley Blackman Animal Defenders of Westchester Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
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