Dog’s death sparks a fight over wildlife trapping

December 1, 2011 | 4:49 PM | By Cassandra Profita

Dog’s death sparks a fight over wildlife trapping

FILED UNDER: Fish & Wildlife

Predator Defense

The McCurtain family dog Maggie was killed in a wildlife trap that was set within 50 feet of the family's back yard fence.

A wildlife trap intended to kill invasive nutria in a Gresham neighborhood wound up killing a neighbor’s dog, too.

Now, the dogs owners and a wildlife advocacy group are suing the federal agency that set the traps for $50,000 in damages.

In August, the McCurtain family found out too late just how close the government traps were to their home when their dog Maggie was caught and killed.

The traps were set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services in response to a request from the McCurtain’s neighborhood association to remove troublesome nutria. The agency manages wildlife conflicts and is often called to trap problem coyotes, bears and other predators.

The agency’s Oregon director David Williams said the nutria traps were set legally and with the association’s permission. The neighbors were all informed via e-mail that there would be traps in the common area around a nearby lake, where nutria had been burrowing holes and creating hazards.

But Denise McCurtain, who tried to free Maggie from one of the traps before it died, said she is still dumbfounded that no one told her there were deadly traps hidden under shrubs within 50 feet of her back yard.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to put this kind of trap within a certain distance of a residential dwelling or a public place,” she said. “How can they put a trap out that poses more danger to human life and animals than the animals they’re trying to kill?”

Three different types of Conibear traps.

Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense, said the it’s not all that unusual for pets to be killed in wildlife traps set by the USDA’s Wildlife Services. He gets dozens of calls a year from people with stories like the McCurtains’.

His group has jumped to the family’s defense and filed a tort claim today to recoup damages for Maggie’s death. But Fahy also has an eye on the bigger picture. He thinks Wildlife Services should be completely dissolved, and he’s been working for years to make it happen.

The agency is not doing anything private landowners couldn’t do on their own by hiring contractors, he said, and it’s too secretive about its operations.

“This is one of the most rogue federal agencies in existence today. It’s simply unaccountable,” he said. “We want to bring this to the light of day. This is not an isolated incident. This happens all the time.”

Whether Wildlife Services actually did anything wrong in this case is unclear. Fahy said the agency didn’t follow its own rules for using kind of trap that was set near the McCurtains’ home. It’s called a Conibear trap, and it kills animals by luring them with bait and clamping down on their necks.

Williams said there were signs posted around the area where the traps were set, but the signs now appear to have been vandalized.

The agency also switched trapping methods from visible cage traps to less visible – and lethal – Conibear traps because the cages weren’t working and the agency didn’t intend on relocating the invasive species, according to Williams.

McCurtain said the original notice sent to residents by the neighborhood association wasn’t clear about the danger posed by the traps themselves – only the nutria that could be caught in them.

Williams said residents were warned to keep their children and pets away from the traps. There aren’t any safety latches or instructions on how to release the trap if a pet gets caught. But the agency only sets traps upon request and with permission, he said, and it’s been almost three years since the agency’s operations have harmed any pets.

“The first thing I want to do is express my regret,” said Williams. “I’m a fellow pet owner myself. Certainly the focus of our agency is to help people manage wildlife conflicts of all types in a biologically sound way that avoids any non-target domestic animals or other wildlife species. Our track record is very good.”

McCurtain said she’s hoping Maggie’s story will help change the rules for what kind of traps Wildlife Services can put near people’s homes to avoid a repeat of what happened to her family.

jack

There is no defense or justification for the sheer negligence and stupidity exercised by Wildlife Services that senselessly killed a beautiful dog and broke many hearts. This outrageous incident demonstrates flagrant irresponsibility and the very real danger posed by this agency.
jack

There is no defense or justification for the sheer negligence and stupidity exercised by Wildlife Services that senselessly killed a beautiful dog and broke many hearts. This outrageous incident demonstrates flagrant irresponsibility and the very real danger posed by this agency.
ElmerFudd

Sounds like the trap that was set to catch an invasive species actually caught an invasive species. Good job! People, keep your exotic animals in your home and/or on a leash. Don’t be surprised when it ends up dead because you let it run wild.

PS- A #110 Conibear trap works great on feral cats. Just set the trap and tie-wrap it to a small box (in front of a small opening) baited with cat food.

Anonymous

Hey, do you think that the #110 Conibear trap would work well on all the human idiots, now that would be a public service and for the greater good! Just set the trap wherever and bait it with a promise of 15 minutes of fame, an entitlement or getting to kill some poor animal that gets in their way or for “sport.”
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

Dogs are exotic animals? News to me!
Ladypurr9

Elmer Fudd….I’d like to set a special trap for you….one in which the minute you encountered it, you would be incinerated! You are a truly D I S G U S T I N G, vile-smelling, brutish, God-forsaken piece of SHIT! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!
Ladypurr9

You ugly bastard. Did it ever occur to you WHY cats become “feral” in the first place? Because of sickening black-hearted humans like you who dump them, abandon them, allow them to breed indiscriminately when being responsible and having them sterilized so that if an accident should happen and they become lost, they won’t create a problem.
I can see why you’re a trapper. YOU DON’T HAVE THE BRAINS OR THE HEART to contribute in ANY OTHER MANNER WHATSOEVER to humanity. I’m cleaning off the vomit I just threw up as a result of writing this note to you! YOU ARE A DEMON FROM HELL!

ElmerFudd

Sounds like the trap that was set to catch an invasive species actually caught an invasive species. Good job! People, keep your exotic animals in your home and/or on a leash. Don’t be surprised when it ends up dead because you let it run wild.

PS- A #110 Conibear trap works great on feral cats. Just set the trap and tie-wrap it to a small box (in front of a small opening) baited with cat food.

Anonymous

Hey, do you think that the #110 Conibear trap would work well on all the human idiots, now that would be a public service and for the greater good! Just set the trap wherever and bait it with a promise of 15 minutes of fame, an entitlement or getting to kill some poor animal that gets in their way or for “sport.”
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

Dogs are exotic animals? News to me!
Ladypurr9

Elmer Fudd….I’d like to set a special trap for you….one in which the minute you encountered it, you would be incinerated! You are a truly D I S G U S T I N G, vile-smelling, brutish, God-forsaken piece of SHIT! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!
Ladypurr9

You ugly bastard. Did it ever occur to you WHY cats become “feral” in the first place? Because of sickening black-hearted humans like you who dump them, abandon them, allow them to breed indiscriminately when being responsible and having them sterilized so that if an accident should happen and they become lost, they won’t create a problem.
I can see why you’re a trapper. YOU DON’T HAVE THE BRAINS OR THE HEART to contribute in ANY OTHER MANNER WHATSOEVER to humanity. I’m cleaning off the vomit I just threw up as a result of writing this note to you! YOU ARE A DEMON FROM HELL!

Boston333200

“Wolf Preservation” opposes these death traps!

TravelingRN

Does wolf preservation want to pay 50,000 in damages for my friends dog that was attacked and killed on her land…backyard by the Imnaha pack of wolves…or how about the live half eaten deer that suffered for days before dying and the kids on the school bus saw her daily …..would you like your kids to be waiting for a school bus 100 yards from where there pet dog was attacked by wolves. Before you start making stupid comments I suggest you educate your self.

Ladypurr9

If the kids on the school bus saw the deer suffering, why didn’t someone (you knew about–why didn’t you step in and end her suffering?) bring it to someone’s attention? What are we raising today? Kids who are much like their cell phones and i-Pads–just technological marvelsl without hearts and minds?

Wolves are predators. I hate the idea that they take deer and other animals so cruelly. I feel very bad for that person who lost their dog but wolves have been so horribly persecuted and nearly eradicated and that’s not our right! God Almighty created the wolf–just like he created the “other” top predator–disgusting Man!
Both (I think!) do have a place on the planet. I think I’d rather die than have you come to my aid, Traveling RN. You strike me as being cold and callous.

Boston333200

“Wolf Preservation” opposes these death traps!

TravelingRN

Does wolf preservation want to pay 50,000 in damages for my friends dog that was attacked and killed on her land…backyard by the Imnaha pack of wolves…or how about the live half eaten deer that suffered for days before dying and the kids on the school bus saw her daily …..would you like your kids to be waiting for a school bus 100 yards from where there pet dog was attacked by wolves. Before you start making stupid comments I suggest you educate your self.

Ladypurr9

If the kids on the school bus saw the deer suffering, why didn’t someone (you knew about–why didn’t you step in and end her suffering?) bring it to someone’s attention? What are we raising today? Kids who are much like their cell phones and i-Pads–just technological marvelsl without hearts and minds?

Wolves are predators. I hate the idea that they take deer and other animals so cruelly. I feel very bad for that person who lost their dog but wolves have been so horribly persecuted and nearly eradicated and that’s not our right! God Almighty created the wolf–just like he created the “other” top predator–disgusting Man!
Both (I think!) do have a place on the planet. I think I’d rather die than have you come to my aid, Traveling RN. You strike me as being cold and callous.

Vincentk70

Just more reason why trapping should be outlawed especially on public land. People do not realize the danger of these contraptions and the amount of non target animals that falls prey to them. Trappers are not an elite well trained group of people. Rather the opposite. Traps are indiscriminate tools for killing. It is only a matter of time before a child loses a limb or get poisoned by colorful poison traps.
Vincentk70

Just more reason why trapping should be outlawed especially on public land. People do not realize the danger of these contraptions and the amount of non target animals that falls prey to them. Trappers are not an elite well trained group of people. Rather the opposite. Traps are indiscriminate tools for killing. It is only a matter of time before a child loses a limb or get poisoned by colorful poison traps.
Virginia Reel

Very sad for the owner. But, it is always safer for your pets to keep them on a leash and then you also know when you need to clean up after them.
Virginia Reel

Very sad for the owner. But, it is always safer for your pets to keep them on a leash and then you also know when you need to clean up after them.
Scott

What shocks me from this story is that we already have Nutria invading the environment of the Pacific Northwest. This should be the news lead. Are Oregonians aware of how horribly destructive these South American native rats can be to our ecosystem? They’ve been devastating to the land and other wild species in the Southeastern US.
Apparently the USDA Wildlife Service has been successful in eradicating them in California, but I had no idea they were here. We should strongly support the governments effort’s to control these invasive vermin.

There’s a second troubling aspect to this story. $50,000 in damages for Fido who shouldn’t have been off a leash and off the family’s property in the first place? This is just another example of the widespread trend to anthropomorphize family pets and elevate domesticated animals to unreasonable rights and values.The criticism here should be directed at this family’s abuse of our legal system, and myopic, selfish disregard of the greater good.

Anonymous

Wow! The family’s selfish disregard of the greater good! Wow!
Andrew

Good post Scott.

Nutria have been around in the Portland Metro area for many years. I saw two of them today near Clackamas Town Center. This is in no way a new issue.
Past that, it’s very unfortunate that this family’s dog was harmed. I would be devastated if it were my dog. However, unless this area of “Public Land” was specifically designated as an “off-leash” zone, their dog should not have been there in the first place. The day they set up lethal traps inside playgrounds or dog parks, go ahead and sue them. Until then, realize that as a pet owner you have a responsibility to keep your pet contained on your own property. Additionally, the community requested this service, and warned the citizens of the traps.

Ladypurr9

Andrew… read my post to Scott. No you wouldn’t be devasted. All the land should be public land. While I agree that people shouldn’t really allow their dogs to run free, they also shouldn’t be unwitting victims of such barbaric cruelty carried out by the lowest form of human life on the planet–the trapper.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Patricia-Randolph/100002251459151 Patricia Randolph

50 foot is a very short distance from a dwelling, from a family and dog. Nutria live in swamp areas and there was no “need” to use that type of trap to endanger anyone. This is just part of the state and federal killing business expansion of trapping indiscriminately throughout our public and private lands – with an uneducated public who do not read outdoors pages – nor do they deal with painful trapping issues. Out of sight out of mind until it is your suffering. It is the human way – only care about ourselves – so destroy all non-human life on the planet recklessly and in the cruellest ways. Inconvenient? Torture and kill. Shortisighted and special interest. Our state agencies need massive reform as does the federal wildlife “service” – to general public funding replacing killing licenses and moving to a first time democracy for those of us who love all wildlife and prefer the world kind and intact.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

Quite frankly I have lived in Oregon all of my life and have seen more environmental damage from beaver than I have nutria, which has been none for nutria. And really, the pictures I have seen that people claim is damage, just looks like nature to me. Its amazing that people have a problem with nature. Even though the beavers cause damage, they have been controlled without violence effectively. At Riverfront Park in Salem, Oregon they put chains around vulnerable trees and trees they had already chewed a bit on. The beavers left them alone, and even moved to an area where they could do what they wanted to do without human conflict, and now there are just nutria, which again, have caused no problems and I enjoy seeing them and love their behavior. Don’t ruin my joy because you can’t handle nature.

It also does not matter that the dog was in an area that was not obviously marked as an off leash area. That could have easily been a child in that trap since it was so close to the neighborhood, and that dog suffered. They would easily win the case with just mental anguish alone, you can sue for that. And what if it had been a dog on leash, even a service dog? Then the government would be facing a felony, and what then? What will be your excuse? It was a park where everyone goes, not BLM land.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Patricia-Randolph/100002251459151 Patricia Randolph

Go to the Beavers, Wildlife and Wetlands web site to learn about the absolutley beautiful service beavers render to all of us by cleaning our water systems ( water will be the next endangered resoure) and CREATING habitat for half of the rare and endangered species on earth . The Indians called the beaver “the sacred center” because they create this boggy rich freshwater wetland habitat, tirelessly for free. It would cost humans $10,000 to $100,000 an acre to create that disappearing habitat ourselves. Beavers are a wondrous engineering treasure of life!

douglas

The current mass global species extinction event, according to real scientists (of
which I’m almost certain “Scott” is not one), is caused not by the
nutria, but by that ape called Homo sapiens.

It’s worth noting that humans (esp. post-Columbus) are the most invasive and damaging species in the PNW. The worst destruction to “our ecosystem” from nutria can never begin to rival the damage caused by the overpopulation and overconsumption of Homo sapiens.

If we’re going to be trapping and brutally killing “invasive” species b/c we arbitrarily decide they’re the cause of our environmental problems, let’s at least be consistent with our rhetoric and actions.
Ladypurr9

Scott….my god! We’re talking about suffering that you cannot imagine. Stop with trying to place blame on this grieving family. You obviously have never had a real relationship with a domestic pet. ”Until one has loved an animal, part of his soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France More than 80 countries have BANNED steel-jaw leg hold traps and snares. If mankind wouldn’t have upset the balance of nature to begin with (i.e. relentless development, expoloitation, destruction, etc.), there’d be no need to use “damage” control. Our country makes me sick. YOU make me sick! I hope this family wins their lawsuit and it makes our barbarian government wake up and find another way. We’re supposed to be the moste educated people on the planet. Really?

Scott

What shocks me from this story is that we already have Nutria invading the environment of the Pacific Northwest. This should be the news lead. Are Oregonians aware of how horribly destructive these South American native rats can be to our ecosystem? They’ve been devastating to the land and other wild species in the Southeastern US.
Apparently the USDA Wildlife Service has been successful in eradicating them in California, but I had no idea they were here. We should strongly support the governments effort’s to control these invasive vermin.

There’s a second troubling aspect to this story. $50,000 in damages for Fido who shouldn’t have been off a leash and off the family’s property in the first place? This is just another example of the widespread trend to anthropomorphize family pets and elevate domesticated animals to unreasonable rights and values.The criticism here should be directed at this family’s abuse of our legal system, and myopic, selfish disregard of the greater good.

Anonymous

Wow! The family’s selfish disregard of the greater good! Wow!
Andrew

Good post Scott.

Nutria have been around in the Portland Metro area for many years. I saw two of them today near Clackamas Town Center. This is in no way a new issue.
Past that, it’s very unfortunate that this family’s dog was harmed. I would be devastated if it were my dog. However, unless this area of “Public Land” was specifically designated as an “off-leash” zone, their dog should not have been there in the first place. The day they set up lethal traps inside playgrounds or dog parks, go ahead and sue them. Until then, realize that as a pet owner you have a responsibility to keep your pet contained on your own property. Additionally, the community requested this service, and warned the citizens of the traps.

Ladypurr9

Andrew… read my post to Scott. No you wouldn’t be devasted. All the land should be public land. While I agree that people shouldn’t really allow their dogs to run free, they also shouldn’t be unwitting victims of such barbaric cruelty carried out by the lowest form of human life on the planet–the trapper.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

Quite frankly I have lived in Oregon all of my life and have seen more environmental damage from beaver than I have nutria, which has been none for nutria. And really, the pictures I have seen that people claim is damage, just looks like nature to me. Its amazing that people have a problem with nature. Even though the beavers cause damage, they have been controlled without violence effectively. At Riverfront Park in Salem, Oregon they put chains around vulnerable trees and trees they had already chewed a bit on. The beavers left them alone, and even moved to an area where they could do what they wanted to do without human conflict, and now there are just nutria, which again, have caused no problems and I enjoy seeing them and love their behavior. Don’t ruin my joy because you can’t handle nature.

It also does not matter that the dog was in an area that was not obviously marked as an off leash area. That could have easily been a child in that trap since it was so close to the neighborhood, and that dog suffered. They would easily win the case with just mental anguish alone, you can sue for that. And what if it had been a dog on leash, even a service dog? Then the government would be facing a felony, and what then? What will be your excuse? It was a park where everyone goes, not BLM land.
douglas

The current mass global species extinction event, according to real scientists (of
which I’m almost certain “Scott” is not one), is caused not by the
nutria, but by that ape called Homo sapiens.

It’s worth noting that humans (esp. post-Columbus) are the most invasive and damaging species in the PNW. The worst destruction to “our ecosystem” from nutria can never begin to rival the damage caused by the overpopulation and overconsumption of Homo sapiens.

If we’re going to be trapping and brutally killing “invasive” species b/c we arbitrarily decide they’re the cause of our environmental problems, let’s at least be consistent with our rhetoric and actions.
Ladypurr9

Scott….my god! We’re talking about suffering that you cannot imagine. Stop with trying to place blame on this grieving family. You obviously have never had a real relationship with a domestic pet. ”Until one has loved an animal, part of his soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France More than 80 countries have BANNED steel-jaw leg hold traps and snares. If mankind wouldn’t have upset the balance of nature to begin with (i.e. relentless development, expoloitation, destruction, etc.), there’d be no need to use “damage” control. Our country makes me sick. YOU make me sick! I hope this family wins their lawsuit and it makes our barbarian government wake up and find another way. We’re supposed to be the moste educated people on the planet. Really?

Anonymous

The use of these traps on any animal is cruel and inhumane proving once again how little we have evolved as humans. There is no great predator than humans who are so arrogrant as to believe the myth that everything was created for our use and that it is all about us. Amazing! I would guess that the people who believe it is okay to do this to animals are the same ones who whine that executions of murderers that have killed other people in horrible ways are cruel and inhumane. By the way, human population control would be for the greater good as well as demanding that people take an intelligence test before they can vote but we won’t do that, will we?
Anonymous

The use of these traps on any animal is cruel and inhumane proving once again how little we have evolved as humans. There is no great predator than humans who are so arrogrant as to believe the myth that everything was created for our use and that it is all about us. Amazing! I would guess that the people who believe it is okay to do this to animals are the same ones who whine that executions of murderers that have killed other people in horrible ways are cruel and inhumane. By the way, human population control would be for the greater good as well as demanding that people take an intelligence test before they can vote but we won’t do that, will we?
Snobr9

I feel so bad for this poor dog and her owners. But i feel bad for ANY animal that gets caught in a trap. A wolf does not have less pain receptors in its body than a dog just because it doesn’t have a bond with a human. Wolves in Idaho are being killed right now in choking snare traps and leghold traps. This barbaric action must be stopped !
Snobr9

I feel so bad for this poor dog and her owners. But i feel bad for ANY animal that gets caught in a trap. A wolf does not have less pain receptors in its body than a dog just because it doesn’t have a bond with a human. Wolves in Idaho are being killed right now in choking snare traps and leghold traps. This barbaric action must be stopped !
http://profiles.google.com/opcnup Brendan White

Why was the dog running on public land? Traps may be barbaric, indescriminate, and cruel, but the damage done by invasive species is worse.

Debby

I know that traps like bullets have no name on them. Public land is just that Public Land and is to be shared and enjoyed by everybody. Really– it could have been a child just as easily as it was a pet caught in that horrible trap. What kid doesn’t like to explore!
Ladypurr9

Oh my God! Are you really a human being?

http://profiles.google.com/opcnup Brendan White

Why was the dog running on public land? Traps may be barbaric, indescriminate, and cruel, but the damage done by invasive species is worse.

Debby

I know that traps like bullets have no name on them. Public land is just that Public Land and is to be shared and enjoyed by everybody. Really– it could have been a child just as easily as it was a pet caught in that horrible trap. What kid doesn’t like to explore!
Ladypurr9

Oh my God! Are you really a human being?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K4ZWWQ2EZGMPGDYHJSXI7DTGZY Gina

Is it harder for the McCurtains to explain to their kids that their dog left their property and got killed, than it is for me to explain to my children – an introduced apex predator came into my FENCED yard with the gate CLOSED and killed my beloved pet??

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

I find it funny that you have a private profile, suggesting you are a mule and this supposed story of yours is false.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K4ZWWQ2EZGMPGDYHJSXI7DTGZY Gina

Is it harder for the McCurtains to explain to their kids that their dog left their property and got killed, than it is for me to explain to my children – an introduced apex predator came into my FENCED yard with the gate CLOSED and killed my beloved pet??

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

I find it funny that you have a private profile, suggesting you are a mule and this supposed story of yours is false.

Anonymous

If it were my pet I’d be
suing a whole lot more than a measly $50,000 – how about $50
million, and I would make certain it made international press.
Anonymous

If it were my pet I’d be
suing a whole lot more than a measly $50,000 – how about $50
million, and I would make certain it made international press.
Anonymous

GOOD! They need to be sued, except the damages are far too small. That’s chump change.
What’s the difference using traps for wildlife vs against someone’s pet? It’s hideous animal cruelty, and wildlife suffers every bit as any person would or pet.
Anonymous

GOOD! They need to be sued, except the damages are far too small. That’s chump change.
What’s the difference using traps for wildlife vs against someone’s pet? It’s hideous animal cruelty, and wildlife suffers every bit as any person would or pet.
Debby

Use live traps so non invasive creatures can be released would be better than mass killing anything that wanders by including kids that love to explore
Debby

Use live traps so non invasive creatures can be released would be better than mass killing anything that wanders by including kids that love to explore
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

For the idiots posting here, THE DOG ESCAPED THE YARD! Learn how to read. It wasn’t running around off leash and the owners were not being irresponsible. But this shows that instant kill traps are pure myth and there is no humane trap, and therefore they should not be allowed. As others have said, what if this had been a child? It could have easily been a child since it was so close to the neighborhood.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000357776652 Sarah Coberly

For the idiots posting here, THE DOG ESCAPED THE YARD! Learn how to read. It wasn’t running around off leash and the owners were not being irresponsible. But this shows that instant kill traps are pure myth and there is no humane trap, and therefore they should not be allowed. As others have said, what if this had been a child? It could have easily been a child since it was so close to the neighborhood.
Jimgeddes

50k in damages shoot that is more than I recieved for injuries to my shoulder that I can hardly use any more during construction of the portland tram. I guess dogs are worth more than people.

Ladypurr9

Oh, please Jimgeddes. No one is saying that any creature is worth more than the other.
I feel bad that you were injured. What this family is trying to do is get our government to find more human ways of wildlife management and control. We’re in 2012 now. Not 1901. If we can send rockets to the moon, build skycrapers, dams, and bridges that span wide rivers, don’t you think we can also find a way to live “humanely” and peacefully with all living beings? Traps are hideously indiscriminate and barbaricly cruel. I cannot imagine any person with a mildly functioning conscience that would defend the use of these instruments of torture.

Jimgeddes

50k in damages shoot that is more than I recieved for injuries to my shoulder that I can hardly use any more during construction of the portland tram. I guess dogs are worth more than people.

Ladypurr9

Oh, please Jimgeddes. No one is saying that any creature is worth more than the other.
I feel bad that you were injured. What this family is trying to do is get our government to find more human ways of wildlife management and control. We’re in 2012 now. Not 1901. If we can send rockets to the moon, build skycrapers, dams, and bridges that span wide rivers, don’t you think we can also find a way to live “humanely” and peacefully with all living beings? Traps are hideously indiscriminate and barbaricly cruel. I cannot imagine any person with a mildly functioning conscience that would defend the use of these instruments of torture.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Patricia-Randolph/100002251459151 Patricia Randolph

Yes – humans tend to think of themselves and those dear to them – pets, kids all at risk, for sure – but it is our beloved treasure – our commonwealth wild life that is most at risk and out of sight, out of mind suffering by the millions in these useless medieval contraptions that are designed to mutilate, expose, and crush animals to death in the most cruel ways. We humans have to get our priorities straight and work tirelessly to end trapping once and for all – by the feds and the state licensing thousands of trappers setting unlimited traps on unlimited traplines for indiscriminate suffering and death of innocent flesh and bone beings just like us. Time for this to end. Instead it is being expanded to all Wisconsin public lands four and a half months of winter when wildlife is most vulnerable – to wolves and bears and any creature who happens along. Helps us end this. Noone born on this dying planet deserves to die this way. Also it promotes the very WORST in human behavior. Serial torture and serial killing – sadism at its most preventable.

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