Fury as New York town hosts ‘barbaric’ squirrel hunt

An annual squirrel hunt in Germantown, a community of fewer than 2,000 residents in upstate New York, has sparked fury with the event leading to a barrage of death threats and an animal rights petition being signed by over 20,000 people.

The "Squirrel Scramble" is being hosted for the seventh year in a row. A poster for the event was posted to the Facebook page of the Germantown Sportsmen's Association advertising the 27 February event with the "1st place cash prize" being for the "heaviest set of legal limit squirrels". The poster also states that "all legal firearms" are allowed.

The hunt is open to "men, women, and youth hunters" with the original focus being on individuals between 12 and 15 years old, according to Hudson Valley 360.

A change.org petition started by Amora Lay wants to "STOP the Cruel Squirrel killing contest," and calls the event a "barbaric, cruel, senseless and environmentally terrorising money grab".

The two phone numbers listed on the poster for pre-registration have received threatening and obscene phone calls, according to News10.

The group has decided to hold the event despite the controversy, writing in another post on Facebook: "Squirrel hunting is something that has been around for a long time. Not one person ... have ever killed anyone, nor turned into a serial killer. It’s ok to disagree but this is something we do. We promote youth hunting and teach them the proper way."

The New York Humane Association has called for an end to the hunt. According to the Albany Times-Union, Humane Association chairman Dr Harold Hovel wrote that “killing in the name of fun and family bonding seems contradictory and lacking in respect for living beings and their place in nature, and squirrels have their place in nature like all wildlife".

In a statement to News10, an association spokesperson wrote: “We feel strongly that our event is a legal, traditional sporting activity and protects the environment from overpopulation. We also feel that this can be a positive experience for those involved.”