1. Dear
Editor,
For
centuries
Man
has
relied
on
the
assistance
of
dogs
in
the
hunting
of
Wild
Animals.
However
during
the
last
Seventy-­‐five
(75)
years
there
has
been
a
change
and
many
Countries
now
prohibit
hunting
with
dogs.
Most
of
the
Countries
of
Europe
have
banned
hunting
with
dogs.
These
include
Germany
(1934)
where
hunting
with
dogs
is
considered
to
be
"unsporting",
Norway,
Sweden,
Finland,
Denmark
,Belgium,
and
Spain.
Hunting
with
dogs
was
banned
in
Scotland
in
2002
and
in
England
and
Wales
in
2004.
Figure
1
-­‐
Taken
on
the
Heights
of
Guanapo
Road,
Sept
19th
2012
In
the
USA
it
is
legal
to
used
dogs
in
hunting
deer
in
only
Nine
(9)
States.
These
are
Virginia,
North
Carolina,
South
Carolina,
Georgia,
Alabama,
Florida,
Mississippi,
Louisiana
and
Arkansas.
This
permission,
with
conditions,
varies
from
State
to
State
so
that
there
are
Zones
within
these
nine
States
in
which
hunting
deer
with
dogs
is
not
permitted.
e.g.
In
Louisiana,
hunting
deer
with
dogs,
during
the
Open
Season,
is
permitted
in
only
Five
(5)
of
Eight
(8)
Zones,
It
is
illegal
to
hunt
deer
with
dogs
in
the
other
Three(3)
Zones
at
any
time.
Similarly
in
Georgia,
it
is
illegal
to
hunt
deer
in
Five(5)
of
the
Seven
(7)
Counties
in
the
State.
In
Califonia,
the
use
of
dogs
in
hunting
beer
and
bobcats
was
banned
from
1st
January,2013.
In
The
USA
and
in
Canada
the
Hunting
Laws
and
Regulations
are
strictly
enforced
and
the
penalties
for
contravening
the
Laws
are
very
severe.
In
Costa
Rica
all
Hunting
was
banned
with
effect
from
10th
December,2012.

2.
With
respect
to
"The
Exercising
of
Dogs"
by
pursuing
Wild
Life
during
the
Closed
Season,
which
the
Minister
of
Housing
and
the
Environment,
Dr.Roodal
Moonilal,
said,
on
announcing
the
reopening
of
the
Hunting
Season
in
December
2011
after
the
State
of
Emergency
was
lifted
,
that
it
was
detrimental
to
the
continued
good
health
of
hunting
dogs
if
they
were
not
permitted
to
hunt
and
to
thus
obtain
exercise.
Figure
2
-­‐
Taken
Caroni
Roundabout,
Nov
5th
2012
There
is
no
Scientific
Evidence
published
anywhere
to
support
that
statement,
and
in
addition
the
US
Fish
and
Wildlife
Services,
on
my
enquiry,
has
stated
that
the
US
Fish
and
Wildlife
Service
is
unaware
that
"Training
of
Dogs"
by
pursuing
Wild
Animals
during
the
Closed
Season
is
essential
for
the
dogs
health.
Apparently
the
Minister
was
misinformed
or
was
incorrectly
quoted
by
the
Media.
It
would
be
very
informative
if
the
Honorable
Minister
of
Housing
and
the
Environment
discloses
his
source
of
information?
Figure
3
-­‐
A
poached
PAWI
-­‐
Seized
in
Brasso
Village,
Dec
2010
In
the
USA
and
in
Canada
"Dog
Training"
during
the
Closed
Season
or
as
we
call
it
in
Trinidad
and
Tobago
"Exercising
of
Dogs"
by
pursuing
Wild
Animals
is
considered
to
be
hunting
and
is
strictly
controlled
even
in
those
Nine
(9)
States
which
permit
the
hunting
of
deer
with
dogs
during
the
Open
Season.

3. In
Florida,
"Dog
Training"
during
the
Closed
Season
may
be
permitted
in
specified
Zones
only
and
this
provided
that
the
dog
is
attached
to
a
leash
or
rope
held
by
the
hunter.
The
dog
is
not
permitted
to
freely
pursue
any
Wild
Animal.
Today
in
2013,
unlike
in
the
1950s
when
the
Conservation
of
Wildlife
Act
of
1958
was
being
formulated,
it
is
relatively
easy
to
obtain
information
on
the
Hunting
Laws
and
Regulation
of
most
Countries
by
simply
visiting
the
relevant
website
on
the
Internet.
For
information
on
Hunting
in
the
USA,
may
I
invite
you
to
visit
the
appropriate
website
of
the
US
Fish
and
Wildlife
Services.
The
Laws
and
Regulations
e.g.
Length
of
Hunting
Season,
Bag
limits
etc.
may
vary
from
State
to
State.
It
is
important
to
note
that
Hunting
Deer
at
night
in
the
USA
and
in
Canada
is
Prohibited..!
It
is
my
wish
that
in
the
future,
the
Minister's
Advisors
will
seek
the
required
information
that
is
readily
available
and
to
not
continue
to
mislead
the
Minister
by
supplying
him
with
unsubstantiated
or
inaccurate
information
relative
to
Hunting
and
to
the
"Exercising
of
Dogs".
In
"little"
Trinidad
and
Tobago
it
is
time
that
decisions
be
made
in
favour
of
the
Sustainability
of
our
Limited
Wildlife
Populations
and
not
in
favour
of
the
Killers
of
our
Forest
Animals
and
Birds.
Ian
Lambie
Member
Wildlife
Conservation
Committee
1961-­‐1972