
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 4, 1995                   TAG: 9502060028
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MALFOURD `BO' TRUMBO
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HIS BILL HAS GONE TO THE DOGS|

With all the budget debates and legislative maneuverings happening at the General Assembly, if nothing else, I have learned one thing this year: "Don't put in any bills about dogs." Virginians take any affront to dogs just as they would to their mother, pickup truck or any other loved one.

For example, I received a call from some landowners back home in the district. They were hopping mad about hunters trespassing on their land, running dogs through to the other side of their property, while another party waited to kill the bear, deer and other wild game, the dogs had sniffed out.

So, in order to assist the landowners, I put in a little ole bill that would prevent unethical hunters from dropping the dogs at the edge of other folks' land and running those dogs to find bear, deer or other game with radio transmitters. These hunters would radio their buddies on the other side of the land that the dogs were running and to be ready to shoot as soon as the game was off the posted land.

It is legal in Virginia for a hunter to retrieve his or her dog from posted land as long as the hunter is not carrying a weapon and does not hunt the posted property. The unethical hunters are stretching the law by using the excuse of "retrieving their dogs."

Well the next thing you know, my phone is ringing off the hook from bear hunters, coon hunters, fox hunters and even my Momma wanting to know what in the devil had got into me.

I tried to explain the problem, but it all came back to dogs. Dogs seem to have the likeness of a young child. Young children can roam all over the place without permission, tear up things and everyone smiles, coos, points and says, "how cute." It is the same with dogs. No matter how much landowners don't want dogs trespassing on their land, they don't want anyone to help them keep the dogs off their land.

The same landowners who asked me to help with their problem are now upset because they say it won't help the situation. Some have told me that although they appreciate my help, they don't want hunters knocking on their doors late at night asking permission to get their dogs off their land. They want the owner to get the dogs off as soon as possible. The landowners told me that it would be an inconvenience to be bothered. The landowners just doesn't want dogs on their land, period.

I think maybe I will amend this bill to allow a landowner who catches a hunting dog on his or her property to confiscate and sell the dog at public auction. Of course, I would have to put a section in the bill to preclude the landowners from baiting the dogs onto their land. We all know how expensive hunting dogs are today.

Or maybe I will just withdraw the bill and next time have better sense to present any bills that have to do with dogs.

Contact Sen. Trumbo at (800) 889-0229, (804) 786-6884 or 447 General Assembly Building, Richmond, Va., 23203.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995

by CNB