Senator Volker Announces Senate Passage Outlawing The Killing Of Animals Over The Internet

Dale M. Volker

(Albany, NY) Senator Dale M. Volker (R-I-C, Depew) today announced that the New York State Senate voted unanimously on a legislation (S.2822) that would ban the so-called practice of hunting by remote control via the Internet in New York State.

"The Internet has made a tremendous and positive impact for our society. From gathering up-to-date information on international events, local news, health breakthroughs; to communicating on-line and on-time with people from all over the world. However, I believe it was never intended for the purpose of killing wildlife as if one was involved in playing a video game," said Senator Volker. "This is not sport, it is not hunting, and we must not promote such a disturbing practice."

The legislation would prohibit the creation or maintenance of any website or hunting gallery from any location within New York State for the purpose of the online shooting of targets or animals. This bill is in response to Live-Shot.com, a Texas based website which allows users to hunt and target shoot with live ammunition over the Internet. The NRA and the ASPCA have publicly stated their support for a ban on Internet hunting, and a number of state legislatures throughout the country are considering enacting similar legislation.

"Why should someone be able to point, click and kill?," said Volker. There is no sport, there is no fair chase - which is the basic element of hunting. You have to be there in the field, not behind a computer scene in a different state or a foreign country for that matter."

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