AR-News: (NM) Help Ban the Cruel and Indiscriminate Leghold Trap and Snare in Corrales, NM

[Jill Kiesow]

Help Ban Cruel and Indiscriminate Leghold Traps and Snares in Corrales, New 
Mexico

A city ordinance to ban leghold traps and snares will be considered by the 
Corrales City Council in a series of three hearings beginning January 27, 
2004. The proposed ordinance comes in the wake of reports of coyotes 
suffering within city limits from trap-related injuries, including 
mutilated paws and broken bones.

Leghold traps and snares are notoriously cruel and indiscriminate. One of 
the most inhumane traps used today, the leghold trap is designed to capture 
and hold an animal by its foot or leg, but will shut on any body part when 
triggered. Animals captured in leghold traps frequently suffer from severe 
injuries including broken bones and severed tendons, a well as 
physiological trauma. Trapped and terrified, animals have gnawed off their 
own limbs to break free. Snares are generally made of a light wire cable 
looped through a locking device, and are designed to tighten around the 
neck or other body part as the animal struggles. The more the animal 
struggles, the tighter the noose becomes. While small victims may become 
unconscious in five to ten minutes, larger animals may suffer for hours or 
days.

Leghold traps and snares are inherently non-selective and will capture any 
unsuspecting animal, including threatened and endangered species, birds, 
and companion animals. Studies have shown that for every "target" animal 
caught, two to five times as many non-target animals may be trapped.

The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital 
Association, and the National Animal Control Association have all deemed 
the leghold trap "inhumane," and Americans have shown their opposition to 
the use of these traps by passing ballot initiatives banning or severely 
restricting body-gripping traps in Arizona, California, Colorado, 
Massachusetts, and Washington. In addition, more than 80 countries 
nationwide have banned the use of leghold traps.

You Can Help

The Corrales City Council is accepting public comment until February 23 on 
this issue. (Letters from outside Corrales will be accepted and considered 
in the official record.) Submit letters to:

Mr. Harry Staven, Administrator
Village of Corrales
PO Box 707
Corrales, NM 87048
505-897-7217 fax
hstaven at corralesnm.org

Be sure to indicate that your letter is Re: Proposed Ban on Leghold Traps 
and Snares in Corrales.

Points to consider including in your letter:

·       Urge the city council to prohibit the use of leghold traps and 
snares in Corrales and thank its members for considering this proposed 
ordinance.
·       Snares and leghold traps regularly catch non-target animals, thus 
posing a significant hazard to domestic animals as well as threatened and 
endangered species.
·       Snares generally kill animals by strangling them with a wire loop 
often resulting in a slow, painful death, some times lasting days. It would 
violate state humane laws to treat a domestic dog or cat in the same manner.
·       Most animals caught in body-gripping traps react to the instant 
pain and restraint by frantically struggling against the trap in an attempt 
to free themselves, often enduring fractures, ripped tendons, severe 
swelling (edema), blood loss, amputations, and/or tooth and mouth damage 
from chewing and biting at the trap. Some animals even chew or twist off 
their trapped limbs trying to escape.
·       More than 80 countries have banned leghold traps, including all 15 
member-nations of the European Union. However, the United States lags far 
behind the rest of the world with regard to trapping reforms.
·       As a city that has made strides to co-exist with coyotes, Corrales 
has the opportunity to take this compassion one step farther and put itself 
on the map by banning cruel and unnecessary traps.

If you live in Corrales, please attend one of the three public hearings and 
show your support for the trap ban ordinance. Public hearings will be held 
January 27, February 10, and February 27. All city council meetings start 
at 7:30pm.

For more information about the meetings, please call the city 
administrator’s office at 505-897-0502.

For more information on this issue, please contact Camilla Fox at 
chfox at earthlink.net or 916-447-3085 x215.

Posted 01/22/04 - Okay to Forward/Crosspost

Posted by:
Animal Protection Institute
PO Box 22505
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-447-3085
www.api4animals.org


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