Dear Editor:
Recent attention to bullying in Greenbrier Co. schools (Valley Ranger, Sept. 23, 2015) brings to mind another form of bullying that goes on in the county and in the state. The practice of allowing a season for dogs to harass and bully bears for weeks on end in the name of “training my dogs” is another form of bullying, It is harassing a living being and chasing it for miles and miles, chasing it up a tree – keeping it up that tree for as long as it takes for the owner of the dogs to decide to call it off – sometimes as long as four or five hours or more. This is not a fun game, The female bears have cubs at this time and are chased away from their offspring, leaving them defenseless and vulnerable. Is this not a form of bullying?
Hunting is a sport of long tradition in this country. If you are going to hunt – do it in hunting season – kill the animal and be done with it.
To harass and bully an animal, I believe, is sending the wrong message to everyone. Surely we can do better than this.
Anne Canterbury
Renick
