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.”

 

Hounds that were no longer needed were fed food mixed with poison.

Some regions in Chiba Prefecture, now experiencing depopulation, once had many households keeping dogs. Not limited to bird hunting dogs, the prefecture ranked worst in terms of the number of dogs euthanized after being taken into protective custody. The sheer volume made detailed care nearly impossible. When Ms. Kaneko investigated, she discovered that since the 1990s, Chiba had consistently had a strikingly high number of bird hunting dogs in need of rescue compared to the rest of the country. What could be the reason for this?

“Chiba doesn’t have very tall mountains and has a lot of flat land. It’s rich hunting terrain, particularly for bird hunting. Additionally, it’s easily accessible from Tokyo, so there are many hunters,” Kaneko explains.

How do these bird hunting dogs end up at the shelters?

“Abandoned bird hunting dogs are often found not in the mountains but in places like riverbanks, coastal areas, or fields. The dogs don’t typically approach people on their own, so shelter staff say, ‘We can’t catch hunting dogs.’ They run away unless approached by their owner. It’s only when they’re weakened and come closer to residential areas that they can finally be captured.”

Among the hunting dogs found or rescued, some may have run away or gotten lost during hunts. There have even been cases where CACI members found a lost bird hunting dog, contacted the owner, and successfully returned the animal. This was possible because the owner had been actively searching for their lost dog on social media.

“Through our involvement in bird hunting dog rescues and conducting interviews, we’ve heard of cases where unwanted hunting dogs are fed poison-laced bait and abandoned in the mountains.

Although this violates laws today, it seems there was once an underground trade in personally bred hunting dogs. Dogs that couldn’t find buyers. well, you can imagine the outcome. Some hunters have told us that they took in dogs at the request of acquaintances, which led to situations where the dogs were unwanted and ended up being abandoned. It’s often a case of no love for the animal being passed along.”

These dogs are treated as mere objects.

“There are hunters who lack affection for their dogs. While it’s true that hunting dogs are not necessarily pets, it’s shocking to hear stories where even the families of these hunters don’t know the dogs’ names. Within the household, the dogs are often regarded as nothing more than ‘Dad’s hobby tools.'”

Abandoning bird hunting dogs might be the actions of only a fraction of hunters, but it reflects a significant moral failing within the hunting community.

“We need to change hunters’ awareness to solve this issue. At one hunting association, after explaining the problem with bird hunting dogs, we received understanding and support, and they’ve been working on educational initiatives within their group. I believe that’s a significant step forward.”

 

 

A Close Look at the Retraining Process

Even after being transferred from a protective center to a shelter, bird hunting dogs must undergo medical examinations to check for illness or injuries and retraining before they can be adopted. Unlike typical pets, bird hunting dogs are too challenging to keep at home without this preparation. At CACI’s shelter, each dog receives personalized care, including specialized food and attention from Ms. Kaneko and her volunteer staff. Every morning and evening, the dogs are taken out for individual walks—a demanding task.

One such dog, a setter named Mela, was rescued and taken into custody by the Ibaraki Animal Control Center in June this year. When interviewed, Mela had been at the shelter for just over a week. For safety, she was walked on two leashes but pulled Ms. Kaneko forward, determined to lead the way. Despite Ms. Kaneko’s attempts to call out to her, Mela did not always respond. Building a new relationship of trust with bird hunting dogs, accustomed to working one-on-one with hunters, requires time and patience.

“You have to watch closely and seize the moment when they occasionally turn back at your call to praise them immediately. It’s about capturing those fleeting moments,” Ms. Kaneko explained.

During the walk, the dogs displayed their natural hunting instincts when they spotted a group of five or six pigeons. They crouched low, inching forward in unison—pure bird hunting behavior.

“When they see pigeons, their focus is completely locked onto them. It’s not other dogs they’re fixated on, but birds. Experts say that chasing birds isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When aiming at prey, they breathe through their chest instead of their mouths, engaging chest muscles that regular walks don’t utilize.

These dogs are bred to roam free in fields and mountains, so one or two hours of a typical walk isn’t enough for them. They need to run and engage in activities that utilize chest breathing. If it’s just exercise, it becomes harder to establish communication with humans, so they also need mental stimulation. First, you have to satisfy their exercise needs. Then, combine that with indoor training in a low-stimulation environment; otherwise, they’ll remain unresponsive to commands.”

 

 

Too many bird hunting dogs are being abandoned.

“Bird hunting dogs are naturally reactive. We need to understand these dogs and anticipate their actions in advance to respond appropriately. The same understanding is required from the new owners when adopting them.”

At the time of the interview, the CACI shelter was caring for four setters and two mixed-breed dogs. Before using their current shelter, they used to house up to 23 dogs in an apartment facility. After moving to the current shelter, they have cared for up to 20 dogs at once, all of them bird hunting dogs. Although they lost many records due to the damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, over the past 20 years, CACI has rescued about 600 bird hunting dogs.

“Unfortunately, some of the dogs we rescued couldn’t be rehomed and passed away in our care. Recently, we rescue about 20 dogs a year, but it’s an achievement that we’ve been able to reduce this number.”

Recently, the abandonment of dogs used for hunting other animals, such as boar hunting dogs in Kumamoto and Okayama, has also been on the rise.

“What is needed is legislation to prevent owners from abandoning their hunting dogs. This is the most important thing. We are currently working toward making that happen.”

While Kaneko’s efforts are steadily showing results, there is still a long road ahead.