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Instead of reading 84 comments (maybe on weekend) on problems with hunters on this site, I prefer add a new question.
Last years we have had here in Poland few accidents when hunters killed (shooted) dogs, because they acknowlegded dogs were wild.
We have a law that let to kill wild dogs because they could chase on game. Dogs without owner long way, more than few hundred (don't remember exactly) meters from buildings. Dogs looking like losted, homeless, wild.
The truth is that hunters overinterpreted law and shooted many dogs.
We had few hot cases, for example when hunters killed 2 dogs when they were with their owner on walk close to forest in the village. Owner was on one side of meadow, hunters on other, dogs on meadow. There was a young german pointing dog from very good kennel with hunting tradition, teached to hunting.
We have very loud discusions in media, not only for hunters of dog lovers, but all-Polish newspapers.
Each case ended before court - internal hunters court. As I know each hunter is still a hunter, maybe they got reprimended. Don't know owner of dog got any fulfil.
Maybe this problem ended or media are not interested in yet? I don't know, but now it doesn't happen.
What is situation in your countries?

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In Hungary it is the same, but I don't consider these people hunters. People who shoot a dog when the owner is there or during hunting mix up a dog with the game (here usually with wild boars) are not hunters but only hot-fingered brainless men with a gun.
The law says that you can shoot on something that is undoubtedly identified. But even so not only dogs are killed by accident, also human beings.
No big problem in Sweden either.
Yes a hunter may shoot a dog if all other methods of catching the dog have been tried AND the dog is chasing game.
But then, as Susan said its a HIS/HER word-situation.

If ever you hear about dogs getting shot, it tends to be hunters shooting their own (or their friends) dogs by mistake...and yes some hunter shoot each other too.
In Ireland(as far as I know!) farmers are the only people allowed to shoot dogs who are chasing sheep etc., but only if caught doing so on their own land! There too its only the word of the farmer!! I have also heard of hunters accidentally shooting each other or dogs(perhaps careless hunters!!)
Never heard of anything like that happen in Finland. Reindeer owners are allowed to shoot a dog if it is caught chasing reindeer. But the law says they are not allowed to do it without the permission of the police. The law is often misunderstood though...
Few years back, our hunters in Serbia, had permission to shoot dogs outside of the populated areas. In fact they were doing this methodically having in mind that these dogs often chase wild game as you pointed, and also are spreading the rabies.
But it is already several years now that there is a law that forbids killing a dog even if it is abandoned in the middle of nowhere. We did had one incident two years back (i think) when group of hunters in a small village cleansed the whole village of dogs in a brutal way - but it got in media (altogether with pictures) and whole hell broke lose on hunters everywhere, even Brigite Bardot from France intervened writing a letter to president.
I think personally that right now main danger for dogs are busy roads, cause i do see unfortunately a lot of dogs runed over by trucks and cars on my way to work every day. I just can't understand what kind of person doesn't slow down or even stops a car when dog is on the road (or any other animal for that matter).
Thank goodness we dont have a rabies problem(for now!!) But dogs on roads is difficult for drivers as it can be dangerous to stop suddenly for an animal that runs out onto the road!! If you are in a town its not too bad, but a fast road(motorway etc) is very tough!! Why are the dogs out loose I wonder? I dont like to see free ranging dogs!
Last and only time seeing a hunter shooting his dog, was being a six year old boy, big dogfan having bought my Irish setter at four years of age.

"Pluto" the hunter called, sounding a bit tragic. Behind the haystack old Pluto, a Drentse Partridge Dog, struggled to get his old body on four legs again.

His near to dead eyes got a twinkle seeing his hunter with rifle, maybe thinking HEY means adventure.

It was Pluto's last twinkle. And the first and only time I saw a huge lot of tears on that hunters steelface.
Yes but that is a different type of killing than the discussion intended, Henk.

I know one hunter that shoots his own dogs like this. To me it sounded terribly cruel, but having sat down and spoken in depth about it, I could see that he was probably right. He would take the old and sick dog out for a last "hunt". There, in the field, when the dog was doing exactly what he had done for years (and loved) he was shot.
We are all so far removed from death and want things to be tidy, clean and nice. I do too, I could never handle that type of death of my own dog and have a vet come to my house and give the dog an injection when he/she is laying on the settee.

But I know that this particular hunter loves his dogs dearly, and to him, shooting a dog when it is happy hunting is the best way for the dog.
And yes, I can see his point and find this is probably a very kind last gesture, and in many ways a happier end for the dog than a tearful "goodbye" to a (perhaps) stressed out old dog at a vets-clinic.
When the British pulled out of parts of India, the Cavalry would get themselves into their best clothes, groom and tack their horses, take the animals on the parade ground, and then they would shoot them, all at the same time, the horses were doing what they were breed to do, and then 'nothing' it was better than leaving them to be abused by the local people, because they couldn't take the animals back to Britten, in this case it was the best thing to do, I wish that I had the courage to do something like that, but I haven't, I need the vet to help me out, I won't take my dog to the vet, they always come out to me, so the dog has everything just as it has known it for all its life, not the trauma of the vet surgery.
Dee, it was sad to read about the horses in India.
I had no idea at all, but having been to India a couple of times and seen the horses there I can well understand.
But it takes a lot of currage to actually to put the animals wellbeing in front of your own emotions.
Oh I am with you there, when I first heard about it I just sobbed for ages, how brave of the troops to do this 'wonderful' thing for their precious 'friends' it still upsets me to think about it, but I do admire them for their courage. When we killed some of our sheep they had their heads in buckets eating, they didn't know what happened to them, much better than waiting in line at an abattoir (I think that is how it is spelt) or as in the horses case be worked to death.
No not really although it is a different animal it is still the same subject.......it shows that there are people who will do what is necessary to help their animals in time of need, although some young dogs are being killed in some country's, just because their owners don't want to keep them over the 'non' hunting season, what I described was the love for the animal, the other is just down rite cruelty. Some of these dogs are just hanged from the nearest tree, don't want to wast a precious bullet on them........as I said down rite cruelty......and yes these people will just shoot any dog just because it is in the wrong place, and then probably charge the owner of the dead dog the price of the bullet.....

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