Last Monday, the State Government gave another boost to the implementation of the new Animal Welfare Law by approving the Council of Ministers a draft that arouses the frontal opposition of the sector of the hunt in Tenerife. Its representatives express “disbelief and indignation” at a document that “there is simply nowhere to take it.” For example, by turning their dogs “into a domestic animal, a pet.” They express their willingness to return to the streets as they did last March.
Jorge Alonso is president of the Asociación Sociocultural Cazadores de Canarias, which brings together hunting enthusiasts from all the islands. He understands that “there is still time for this law to come into force and we are still waiting for a rectification.” Alonso directs a group that, as an example, next weekend brings together more than a hundred shotguns at the El Ravelo Shooting Range (El Sauzal).
Alonso summarizes in one sentence: “If this is applied to the letter, a hunter would be committing a crime just by practicing the activity.” He explains: “It would be to use ammunition against live animals. Then what do we do”.
As for hunting dogs to be considered pets, he argues: “In the first place, dogs, donkeys, cows, rabbits or whatever animal they are must be in the best conditions, well fed, cared for and housed, as well as with check-ups. Veterinary check-ups. And he adds: “This is how hunters do it, with exceptions, which we denounce, or poachers that exist and must be pursued.”
Alonso emphasizes that “dogs are dogs, as experts of the level of César Millán defend, not our children.” He adds: “In our case they are hunting dogs, genetically made for that. I go out to the field with my two – it hunts partridges and can take up to three – and I don’t have to say anything to them, they go where they go».
Values the president of the group that “If hunting dogs are governed by the rules of any pet, this activity is doomed to disappear.” Alonso emphasizes: «Here a hunter with a podenco and a ferret can go out with up to six dogs, but on the peninsula the rehaleros –the majority of a group of hunting dogs– release between 40 and 60 in the hunts. And that’s his job.”
Take the opportunity to give some data: «Hunting and everything that surrounds it can move 6,500 million euros in Spain with 180,000 jobs». In the Canary Islands, he adds, “100 million came to move a few years ago with 20,000 hunters that today have dropped to 14,000. In Tenerife there were 17,000 and now they are over 5,000». In this regard, he assesses: «On this Island of 20 million euros it has gone down to about 10, but a huge expense is maintained that generates economy: diesel, food, trips between islands …».
Alonso claims the hunter as “the main environmentalist because he respects the environment and natural cycles.” He gives the example of the drinking fountains, included in the More for the Canary Islands project, co-financed by the Hunting Federation and the Government of the Canary Islands. Reptiles, rodents or birds approach and support the life cycle.
George remember that «It has been twelve years since shotguns have been used in rabbit hunting in Tenerife, unlike, for example, on La Palma. There are other species with a moratorium, such as the quail or the turtledove. And there are the sheep on the Isla Bonita or the mouflon for which there are 1,100 shotguns to hunt.
Jorge Alonso has it clear. “We already took to the streets in March, at another point in the process of this law, and we are willing to do it again. So we went to Madrid, others demonstrated here. We are not going to sit idly by, including as many legal actions as necessary to defend our rights.”
A final reflection: “If there are cases of abuse, we are the first to report them and fall on the person responsible. If you can’t have and keep ten dogs, have five.”
