Inside Shelters for Dogs Shot in the Legs to Prevent Escape

Hunting dogs that were euthanized

“Hunting dogs and hunters are one and the same”—this image of a deep and special bond between hunting dogs and their owners may simply be a fantasy created by the general public.

Reasons such as “the dog became ill,” “it aged and lost its hunting drive,” or “it’s too difficult to care for until the next hunting season” lead to hunting dogs being abandoned. In some cases, dogs are even shot in the legs with hunting rifles to prevent them from following and then left behind—unbelievably cruel acts that are hard to fathom.

“A hunter I knew asked me to help find their missing pointer. When I checked the intake information at the prefecture’s animal protection center, I found a pointer there. It turned out not to be their dog, but I went to rescue it. At the center, I was shocked to find many other purebred dogs, like pointers and setters, which were clearly bird hunting dogs. Back then, working dogs were not eligible for adoption, so these dogs were slated for euthanasia. That was when I learned of this harsh reality.”

These are the words of Rie Kaneko, the representative of “GUNDOG RESCUE CACI” in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture. Kaneko had been involved in dog rescue work since the 1990s, responding to a “hoarding collapse” case in the Sanbanze area of Ichikawa. However, after learning about the abandonment of bird hunting dogs and their subsequent fate—being euthanized without even a chance for adoption—she made a firm decision: “We must prioritize rescuing dogs that have little chance of being saved!” and “We won’t let bird hunting dogs be disposable!” Since 2008, her organization has focused on rescuing and rehoming these dogs. The term “GUNDOG” in the organization’s name is another term for bird hunting dogs.

“At the animal protection center, I saw a pointer and a small dog in the same room. When the small dog moved, the pointer locked its gaze on it, ready to target. I immediately asked them to remove the small dog. I told them that if no owner came forward within the seven-day holding period, I would take both the pointer and the small dog. Despite being called ‘animal protection,’ these centers were facilities for euthanizing animals, not saving them. On the first day of intake, all the animals—small dogs, puppies—were put together in the same room. Seeing the pointer reacting to the small dog’s movements and potentially posing a danger, I decided to act.”