A young beagle used as a hunting dog was wearing a GPS tracker collar and regular collar when it was struck on I-26 East on 12/26/2019. It was killed by oncoming traffic outside Ridgeville SC when it got lost and wandered out onto the interstate but yet no blood came from the animal. This is because the hunting dog was so dehydrated that the blood clotted immediately. The car that struck it suffered significant damage. This was so sad to watch and experience. That little dog didnt have to die. Why did it? Reckless careless hunting lodge/hunters/owners. This is not the only time I have witnessed these wonderful dogs being killed by traffic.

I demand that the Department of Natural Resources for each county in SC and GA step in to ensure that all hunting dogs in SC and GA owned by hunting lodges or private individuals engaged in the act of hunting whether for pleasure or for business are properly fed and given fluids several times a day while used for hunting by mandating the owners/lodges provide written proof of proper animal husbandry of such animals and verified by a veterinarian and checked by the Department of Natural Resources every three months.

I demand that the owners of such dogs used for hunting provide proof written proof of each dog owned by written verification/count after each hunt.                            

I demand that they be monitored by veterinarians every three months for signs of malnutrition and dehydration.

I also demand that all owners must round up their hunting dogs after a hunt and not leave them in the woods/fields/swamps/mountains to survive on their own.

I demand that the owners update all tracking collars to include a larger area to minimize the risk of loss of said animal

Too many accidents, people being killed trying to avoid them on the highways and witnessing this firsthand has brought this action. Hunters need to take better care of their animals.

I also demand that they are not penned up in small areas allowing for disease and infection to spread. They must have adequate housing, annual vaccinations and wellness checks by a board certified veterinarian.

To forgoe or violate these terms will result in confiscation of the hunting dogs, fines, jail or imprisonment for the abuse of animals.

It broke my heart to see a young beagle killed because its owner/hunter/hunting lodge failed to prevent the accident on I-26 by being careless and for those who are, who mistreat their animals,  they should be held accountable.