Karelian bear dogs to be deployed in King County-
Story about the bear dogs. By Katherine Long. Seattle Times Eastside reporter
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He has been a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and also its President. For many years he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
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Classic case of treating the symptoms of a disease–a bear eating garbage, livestock, etc.–rather than the cause–the people who feed bears garbage, livestock, etc.
I realize the dogs and aversive conditioning have value. But I’d rather see the money spent on education and then enforcement (fines) so there’s no need for the dogs.
Wow . . I can’t believe it!! I agree with Chuck Parker for once. That was what I thought when I read the article in the Seattle paper . . that and the fact that the headlines made it seem like a bear had entered the “burbs” that day and the story was on the front page as if it was critical news. When we take care of bears for people when will they ever learn anything accept how to dial the phone?
Linda, I can only say I was thinking the same darn thing. I agree with Chuck.
However, if education and fines aren’t working, the dogs could. So if we can’t save bears by making everyone play by the rules, the dogs atleast give the bears a chance.