Non-cats question about cruelty

[scott77777]

Hello,

I recently got into an online discussion with someone who shoots squirrels in his yard with pellet guns. From all appearances, it's target practice for him, and he basically claimed that he's killed numerous squirrels by shooting them with pellets.

I started to make the argument that it could be considered Animal Cruelty for him to kill or maim the animals with a pellet gun. But upon looking up the laws in Maine, it said that "rodents" are exempt from many Animal Cruelty provisions - presumably to keep people from getting in trouble for poisoning rats or having mice in glue traps. The hunting season for squirrels is relatively narrow (two months, I think).

Does that mean this guy is within his legal right to simply shoot these animals as though his property is a living shooting gallery?

I understand that certain loopholes might protect him, but I have a hard time swallowing that idea.


.

 

[spotz]

If there is a designated hunting season for squirrels, and they are not by legal definition "nusiance animals," then as far as I know, you are ABSOLUTELY right that this is a case of animal abuse.

Spotz

 

[mark kumpf]

Originally Posted by Scott77777

Hello,

I recently got into an online discussion with someone who shoots squirrels in his yard with pellet guns. From all appearances, it's target practice for him, and he basically claimed that he's killed numerous squirrels by shooting them with pellets.

I started to make the argument that it could be considered Animal Cruelty for him to kill or maim the animals with a pellet gun. But upon looking up the laws in Maine, it said that "rodents" are exempt from many Animal Cruelty provisions - presumably to keep people from getting in trouble for poisoning rats or having mice in glue traps. The hunting season for squirrels is relatively narrow (two months, I think).

Does that mean this guy is within his legal right to simply shoot these animals as though his property is a living shooting gallery?

I understand that certain loopholes might protect him, but I have a hard time swallowing that idea.


.

Squirrels do not usually fall in the class with "rodents' when it comes to animal cruelty and game laws. In most states, there is a hunting season and laws regarding discharging a firearm within city limits. What town/city in Maine?

 

[scott77777]

I actually don't know what exact town, because it's a message board (like this one) where everyone posts under a nickname. I think half of his point is to provoke an argument with the stereotypical "it's my property, I can do what I want" argument.

Occasionally, I browse the air gun, hunting, trapping and lawn care message boards and find threads like that...guys that talk about shooting squirrels on their own property, so I was hoping to be accurate in making the argument that such things can be illegal.

I used this site for reference:
http://www.animal-law.org/statutes/maine.htm

Then, of course, there are many threads like this (please copy and paste the URL into a browser with "www" in front - I didn't want to direct-link because of trackback possibilities):
airsoftretreat.com/forums/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=27267

I found this one case where a man in Florida was charged with animal cruelty:

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/01/07/He...f_animal.shtml

 

[cazx01]

thats terrible.... poor squirrels

 

[caspar]

Mark, how are beaver dams usually handled? An acquaintance of mine had problems with beavers building dams on his property. They destroyed a great deal of trees and caused widespread flooding on his property and the nearby road. He repeatedly asked the city to do something, but nothing was ever done. He finally gave up in disgust and moved. The house now has a new owner, and I have noticed now that the beaver dams have disappeared. Everytime during a heavy rain the road would flood and several motorists would end up in the nearby pond because they didn't know where the road started or ended if they came by during the night. I am assuming now that since there were accidents and or motorists running off the road, the city or state probably decided to do something. In that case, would the beavers be handled humanely or killed?

 

[eburgess]

the poor things!!!!! unless his yard is crawling with squirrels like one every 5 inches or so, don't shoot them!!!!! all they do is eat nuts and raid birdfeeders. What harm are the doing???