Agonizing chase

Deadly hare hunt at dog training ground

The dogs cannot be blamed, as they have obviously not yet learned to control their hunting instinct and return to their owner when called. (symbolic image)

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/SuperStock - stock.adobe.com)

A hare hunted to death by dogs is causing outrage among animal lovers. Once again, a local group of the "Association for Shepherd Dogs" has come under fire after two dogs recently died of heat exhaustion on a similar site, as we reported. 

According to the "Krone", the incident is believed to have occurred in mid-July on the training ground of the "SVÖ Eisenstadt". Two sheepdogs could no longer be brought under control by their owner and chased a hare that had unintentionally entered the field across the fenced-in meadow. 

Hare ran into puppy area
After some time, the stressed wild animal was able to escape into the fenced-off puppy area of the dog school. However, neither the dog owner nor the informed chairman of the club reportedly thought it necessary to look for the hunted hare there to check for possible injuries. 

The hare died in agony. It would at least have been obligatory to inform the local hunter! (symbolic picture)

(Bild: P. Huber)

Sad agony
The animal was left to fend for itself and must have struggled agonizingly with death for several hours before succumbing to the consequences of the chase. It was not until the next day that someone took care of the carcass and disposed of it in an appropriate container at the rendering plant. 

So far, so sad! The dogs themselves cannot be blamed, as they have obviously not yet learned to control their hunting instinct and return to their owner when called. 

But the fact that none of the (non-) people involved wanted to help the rabbit in any way is very sad. Is the love of animals not as good as is always emphasized by associations of this kind? Or does it simply stop with your own animal?

Silence in the forest
The "Krone" animal corner contacted the club chairman in writing to give him the opportunity to look at the incident from his point of view. However, the email remained unanswered (until the editorial deadline one day later). 

For the Vice President of the Burgenland Hunting Association, however, the matter is clear. In an interview with "Krone", Ewald Frank confirms that this case is comparable to a wild animal accident while driving a car: "Of course you can't abandon an injured wild animal. The hunter must be informed via the local police, who then decides how to proceed".