As anger boils worldwide over the senseless slaughter of Cecil, the beloved, collared Zimbabwe lion lured to his death by a trophy hunter, some overdue attention is being focused on this brutal “sport”. Surely it goes without saying that no one involved with animal welfare could possibly take part in such cruelty, right?
Think again.
Jim Helinger serves as pro bono attorney for SPCA Tampa Bay. Helinger proudly displays trophies from his own hunting ventures, which he describes as “incredibly fun”.
In 2006, Helinger helped organize the World Coyote Shootout in Medicine Hat, Alberta. As described in The Hunting Report newsletter, the event featured two-man teams with local guides competing to shoot the most coyotes in two days. “It’s going to be incredibly fun,” said Helinger.
Let that sink in. A man who may be tasked with defending animals in cruelty and neglect cases believes killing as many of them as possible is fun.
According to NBC Nightly News, Zimbabwe is considering pursuing extradition for Cecil’s American killer. The SPCA/TB Board knows Helinger is a trophy hunter. CEO Martha Boden knows it. It doesn’t seem to bother them at all.
It certainly bothers anyone who truly cares about the welfare of defenseless animals. A lot.