California Bans Internet Hunting

BOWEN BILL TO OUTLAW “POINT, CLICK
& SHOOT” SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR

SACRAMENTO – The inhumane “sport” known as “Internet hunting” will be banned in California as of January 1, 2006, thanks to the Governor’s signature on SB 1028 by Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach) today.

“Killing animals over the Internet is about as sporting as shooting fish in a barrel and it ought to bother animal lovers and true hunters everywhere,” said Bowen. “It takes absolutely zero hunting skill to log onto a web site and click a computer mouse to kill an animal.”

An Internet hunting site sets up rifles near waterholes or wildlife feeders and connects them to video cameras that allow cyberspace “hunters” to watch their computer screen until they spot a target. The “hunter” then uses their computer to line up the rifle and fire a shot. One person in Texas has received national attention for being the first remote-assisted hunting operation to be open for business at http://www.live-shot.com.

“The overwhelming support to ban Internet hunting is a testament to just how disturbing and ridiculous the activity really is,” continued Bowen, noting the broad array of support for the bill, which includes animal rights groups and hunting organizations. “Pay-per-view shooting doesn’t meet any definition of ‘sporting’ that I’ve ever heard because there’s nothing ‘sporting’ about sitting at your computer in your pajamas and using your mouse to shoot at hogs or antelope or any other animal that’s halfway across the country. It’s an over the top, pay-per-view shooting gallery and just because only one person has set up a company to make money by using live animals for target practice doesn’t mean we should just sit by and watch others follow his lead.”

SB 1028 bans shooting at or killing any animal over the Internet, bans anyone from operating a business for the purpose of shooting live animals on-line and makes it illegal to import animals into California that were killed via the Internet. Anyone found guilty of violating the law could be sent to jail for up to six months and be fined up to $1,000.

California is the ninth state in the country to enact some type of ban on Internet hunting and ten others are considering comparable measures. Earlier this year, Congressman Tom Davis (R-Virginia) introduced H.R. 1558 to outlaw Internet hunting nationwide. Under that measure, violators could be punished by up to five years in prison. The legislation has been assigned to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, but has yet to be heard.

SB 1028 is supported by the Humane Society of the United States, Action For Animals, the Animal Protection Institute, Safari Club International, the Outdoor Sportsmen’s Coalition of California, the California Sportsman’s Lobby, the California Rifle & Pistol Association, and the California Fish & Game Commission.

The measure was approved by the Assembly on a 72-0 vote and passed the Senate on a bipartisan 27-5 vote. SB 1028 will take effect on January 1, 2006.

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