First, thanks to all 23,800+ of you (and still growing!) who have signed the petition to STOP the CA Fish and Game Commission from lifting the current ban on GPS collars and tree switches on hounds for so-called “hunting” of deer and pigs. Currently in CA hounds can be equipped with radio telemetry collars as they terrorize and chase innocent wildlife to exhaustion, or worse. As one of our allies pointed out in testimony, GPS collars are not needed--dogs are not lost if houndsmen know what they’re doing with radio collars, and if the hounds are well trained BEFORE being released. As an aside, we believe CA should join the vast majority of other states that ban hound hunting of deer altogether. Currently CA plus nine deep-south Confederate states and Hawaii are the only ones where this cruel, barbaric activity is still legal. Unfortunately, that is not the issue being decided at this time. Second, at yesterday’s CA F&G Commission “discussion” hearing (2/11/16) in Sacramento, a houndsman made a most outrageous claim: That GPS collars are needed because it’s an “animal welfare” issue to find their dogs faster. Really? GPS are simply more “convenient” for houndsmen. These are the folks who let hounds chase, maim, maul, and tree animals, often before they kill them. How is that “animal welfare”? When the CA law was passed to ban hound hunting of bears and bobcats in 2012, houndsmen were first in line to make derogatory remarks about “animal welfare” people. Yet they now claim to be animal welfare proponents? Let’s not let their smoke-screen and deception gain any traction. Last, at yesterday’s hearing, after over four hours of waiting, the agenda item came up for “discussion” near the end as part of a longer list of proposed CA mammal hunting amendments. The commissioners voted to move all the items along. Depending upon when the final vote is scheduled (March or April), we still have time to oppose this proposed amendment and NOT allow hounds in CA to wear GPS collars to hunt deer and pigs. We will let you know as soon as we know when this horrible proposal is back on the agenda for a final vote, but in the meantime, please keep sharing the petition. FYI: The mailing address is: California Fish and Game Commission 1416 Ninth Street P.O. Box 944209 Sacramento, CA 94244-2090 Subject: Vote NO on amendments to CCR Sec 265—Keep GPS Collars and Treeing Switches BANNED on Hounds Thank you everyone!