The RSPCA continues to work towards the banning of bowhunting across Australia. Bowhunting is a legal hunting practice that the RSPCA believes is not suitable to kill an animal humanely.
The latest push from the RSPCA has been sparked after discovering a dead Australian sea lion with a longbow arrow embedded close to its head has sparked renewed calls for a ban on all bow hunting in South Australia.
Almost every case that the RSPCA sights involves target arrows and not hunting broadheads.
THE ABC reported RSPCA SA’s animal welfare advocate Rebekah Eyers said the organisation was appalled to hear of the incident on Kangaroo Island.
“All types of bows should be banned for hunting, simply because there is no way that any kind of bow can humanely kill an animal,” Dr Eyers said.
It comes as a state parliamentary inquiry considers the future of bow hunting.
Dr Eyers said although Australian sea lions were protected species, no animal should endure a slow and painful death
“Animals remain conscious while they die from massive blood loss — an animal fatally shot can take several minutes or even longer to die.
“In that time, they do suffer severe pain and trauma because of the damage to their tissues and their organs.”
Mark Banasiak, a member of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party in the NSW Legislative Council, said incidences like what happened on Kangaroo Island were not representative of the bow hunting culture.
“If they were true bow hunters they would be using correct arrows, you’ve seen a lot of those photos [generally on social media] — they’re just using target arrows,” he said.
“Bow hunting is very ethical like all hunting is.
“You shouldn’t be tarring everyone with the same brush, just because there’s a small minority of the population that does the wrong thing.
“To have a blanket ban approach is short-sighted.”
If you are looking to protect you sport and way of life you can have your say with submissions to SA’s bow inquiry closing on April 9.
Anyone who saw suspicious behaviour at Bales Beach on or around Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26 2021, or with information that might be of assistance in the investigation, is asked to contact the Department for Environment and Water Investigation and Compliance Unit on 8124 4860.
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