Sea Shepherd Society v dogs & cats as bait

**SportscarBruce** · 28th Feb 10, 05:33

This is sick.

"Dogs and cats are also involved in an assault on nature, this time as victims and as bait. On the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean, fishermen have been using live dogs and cats as bait for sharks.

This practice is specifically outlawed by French law but the law, as in many places throughout the world, is ignored by fishing communities who apparently believe they are above the law.

The dogs and cats have hooks passed through their snouts or through the tendons in their legs and the hooks are attached to lines and rods. The hapless animals are then tossed into the water where their struggles attract sharks.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has sent a message to the police in La Reunion offering a reward of €1,000 (Euros) for the first successful conviction of a fisherman using a dog or cat as bait and €200 for each conviction thereafter."

The following letter was sent to the Chief of Police on La Reunion Island:

To: The Police
La Reunion Island

The international Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is offering a reward of 200 Euros to any police officer who successfully enforces the law prohibiting the use of dogs and cats as bait for the catching of sharks.

The Society is offering a reward of 1,000 Euros for the first conviction and 200 Euros for each conviction thereafter.

The reward will be paid upon the successful conviction of any person found guilty of using dogs or cats as bait in shark fishing as defined by the laws of France that specifically outlaw this practice.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society wishes to advise all police captains that they may submit the names of officers who have arrested suspects for using dogs or cats as shark bait and that the reward will be paid directly to the officer or officers upon a successful conviction.

http://www.seashepherd.org/get-involved/rewards.html

**Jag_Warrior** · 28th Feb 10, 08:43

€1,000? That's chump change. They should be able to come up with more than that.

Hanging is too good for some people. But it would be a decent start in this case. Sick b#st#rds!

**Hondo** · 28th Feb 10, 09:15

I'm not saying they aren't using dogs and/or cats but the photos you include look more like pet retreivers that got into Dad's fishing tackle and learned a painful lesson for their trespass. Two of them are on metal vet tables and one has a fisherman wearing surgical scrubs in the background. All three appear to be on the verge of immediate medical treatment.

It's cheaper and easier to use fish to bait for sharks plus, you don't have to worry about a stray fish biting your ass while you try to run a hook through him.

**Camelopard** · 28th Feb 10, 10:03

Do a boogle search on "la reunion dog bait" if you don't believe the photos.....

only 7,630,000 hits......

This story appeared some time ago and apparently various people on Reunion Island were fined for this abhorrent practice. Just another example of human greed imo.