By Khan Singleton
Edited by Ryan Bethea
Landowners annoyed that hunting dogs are coming on their property, and who destroy the dogs' electronic collar, won't have to worry for now that they could be committing a crime.
A bill that would have made it a felony to intentionally remove or destroy the expensive collars was held back Wednesday by a Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee.
The collars, which are sold and monitored by private companies, can cost up to $700 for an electronic dog collar and GPS signaler to track the dog. But when a collar is removed or destroyed, the owner has to pay $200 to replace it.
The committee said the head of the Natural Resources Department, Col. Alvin Taylor, to provide information about the prevalence of dogs missing, being killed or let loose.
Scott Major of Orangeburg, said he hunts deer on his own land is annoyed when dogs trespass on his property. He suggested hunters' contact information should be on collars.
"Why choose to protect one form of property, in the form of a dog, but not another form of property, in the form of land," said Major, who spoke at the hearing.
At Major's urging, subcommittee chairman Yancey McGill, D-Williamsburg, said the bill should also require hunters to have their personal contact information on the collar if their dogs become lost.
Rep. Bill Hixon, the bill's sponsor, said he respects people's property rights but doesn't think taking hunting dogs' electronic collars is the answer.
"Dogs are trained to chase the game they're hunting," said Hixon, R-Aiken. "People who remove the electronic collar are trying to get back at the person who releases the dogs."
Burt Loadholt, president of the Carolina Buck Hunting Club in Colleton County, said he thinks the bill is a good idea and says club members' dogs have been turned loose after their collars were removed.
"If someone hinders you from getting your dog back, they should pay a fine," Loadholt said. "It's no reason to take an electronic collar off the dog."
