"Sport" killing of rabbits in CA - need your help!

I'm not sure if you are aware, but here in CA we have a rather disgusting "sport" being practiced called open field coursing, in which live rabbits are used as bait for primarily greyhounds. There is zero reason to use live animals for this sport, which is practiced by other dog owners all around the country with a white flag on a line instead of rabbits. Please read the following report and contact CA Reps. in support of the proposed Assembly bill.

Thanks for your help with this, DUers! :hi:


Urge Assembly Committee on Appropriations to Ban Open Field Coursing

As we have reported in previous alerts, open field coursing is a blood sport in which packs of specially-trained dogs are set loose in a field to chase and kill wild jackrabbits flushed out by spectators. The dogs (mostly greyhounds dressed in colored racing jackets) are scored by the agility and speed with which they chase down their prey, and rewarded for tearing the rabbits apart. AB 2110, introduced by Assemblymember Loni Hancock (D - Berkeley), would make participation in open field coursing a misdemeanor punishable by six months in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.

The Assembly Committee on Appropriations will vote on AB 2110 later this month, on either May 24th or 25th. It is crucial that California animal advocates to counter the hunting lobby by speaking up now to let legislators know that the general public is in favor of a ban on open field coursing.

- Please contact members of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations by phone, fax, email and postal mail to urge them to support AB 2110. If you only have time to contact one person, please choose the Assembly Member who represents your district if he or she is on the committee. Your Assembly Member is:

Assembly Member Loni Hancock
State Capitol, Room 4126 PO Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
(916) 319-2014

These are the members of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations:

Assemblywoman Judy Chu, Chair
State Capitol, Room 2114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2049
Fax (916) 319-2149

Assemblywoman Karen Bass
State Capitol, Room 2117
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2047
Fax (916) 319-2147

Assemblywoman Patty Berg
State Capitol, Room 4146
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2001
Fax (916) 319-2101

Assemblyman Ronald S. Calderon
State Capitol, Room 4016
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2058
Fax (916) 319-2158

Assemblyman Hector De La Torre
State Capitol, Room 4162
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2050
Fax (916) 319-2150

Assemblywoman Betty Karnette
State Capitol, Room 2176
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2054
Fax (916) 319-2154

Assemblyman Johan Klehs
State Capitol, Room 5150
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2018
Fax (916) 319-2118

Assemblyman Mark Leno
State Capitol, Room 3146
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2013
Fax (916) 319-2113

Assemblyman Joe Nation
State Capitol, Room 5119
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2006
Fax (916) 319-2106

Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas
State Capitol, Room 3152
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2048
Fax (916) 319-2148

Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña
State Capitol, Room 3132
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2076
Fax (916) 319-2176

Assemblyman Leland Yee
State Capitol, Room 3173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph. (916) 319-2012
Fax (916) 319-2112

I thought everyone had gone to lure coursing, with plastic bags. This is appalling!!

on it to HSUS. They're the juggernaut in the pro-animal lobbying forum, and I didn't see anything about this on their site. Wayne Pacelle is the CEO, and he's in lead on the PAC HumaneUSA. That said, don't think that a random e-mail will get dismissed by the CEO of a huge org like HSUS. Wayne is very, very cool, and I know he/his assistants will give this to somebody to run with.

Here's his e-mail wpacelle@hsus.org. I'd love to see them get behind this.

(my sister works there) and they are passing the word in the animal world. I think once Californians know what is going on with this "sport", there will be a big push to outlaw it. Thanks! :hi:

Just make sure Katz talks to HSUS.

is done in most of the U.S. I work for a hunting and fishing publication distributed throughout the U.S. and it quite common.

at ALL. This is essentially dog racing with live bait. The rabbits involved are in no way hunted for their meat or fur, their participation in this "sport" is completely unnecessary.

Thank you for this alert! I will definitely write.