Field Coursing

	©Warren Garst
	Field coursing sets dogs on hare, fox or coyote.

Field coursing is a cruel, unsporting competition where dogs are allowed to chase down and injure or kill animals such as hare, fox and coyote. Dogs are judged on agility, speed, endurance, aggression in pursuit and on their success in killing the animal.

Once the animal is caught, the dogs often engage in a tug of war over the animal, sometimes literally tearing the animal apart. They are often permitted to do this because some owners believe their dogs will perform better if they get a taste for blood.

Before the event, the dogs are trained using small animals in fenced enclosures. There is no possibility for the furbearing animals to escape—a scenario which amounts to little more than a canned hunt.

"Lure coursing" is a humane alternative to field coursing. In lure coursing, a bag fixed with a desirable scent is sent around a track to simulate the path of an animal.

Learn about our legislative progress.

Related Links

Laws and Legislation on Field Coursing