Ban Use of Steel-Jaw Traps in Nebraska
Animal Welfare, Petitions — By Jenna Moore on February 17, 2012 10:20 amTarget: Dave Heineman- Nebraska Governor
Goal: Ban the use of barbaric steel jaw traps.
In December 2011, a mountain lion was caught in a legally set steel-jaw trap. The trapper called authorities, but the female mountain lion was too hurt and had to be euthanized. Nebraskan mountain lions were eradicated in 1890 and currently have only a small population. The loss of a female mountain lion is especially devastating to the mountain lion population.
Steel-jaw traps consist of two sides of metal with a trigger in the middle. When the animal steps on the trigger the jaws of the trap snap closed onto the animals leg. The steel jaws bite into the animals flesh, frequently down to the bone, as it struggles to escape. The trapped animal is subjected to excruciating pain and may even attempt to chew off their limb in an effort to escape.
Other than being cruel, the problems with steel-jaw traps are that they are indiscriminate and very damaging physically. The trapper may be hoping to catch a raccoon, but end up with a mountain lion or someone’s pet. There are too many cases of dogs and cats getting caught in these traps. This coupled with the damage to the animal is a terrible combination. It is inhumane to set a trap that could catch and maim or kill someone’s pet.
Steel-jaw traps are barbaric and outdated. There are much more humane trapping methods that could be used. Let’s put a stop to this method of trapping now. Please let the Nebraska governor know that this is not okay and cannot be allowed to continue happening.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman,
Recently a female mountain lion was caught in a steel-jaw trap. The mountain lion was so injured she had to be euthanized. Mountain lions are scarce in Nebraska. This is a terrible occurrence for the population of mountain lions and cannot be allowed to happen again.
The use of steel-jaw traps is barbaric. If any animal steps on one the jaws spring closed onto their leg or paw. The trap cruelly cuts into the trapped animal’s flesh, frequently all the way down to the bone. The animal experiences unimaginable pain and fear until the trapper checks their traps, which could be days. Worse, steel-jaw traps are indiscriminate. There are many cases of dogs and cats getting caught in them. Someone’s beloved pet is then maimed or killed. It is horrible to allow these traps to still be used.
There are more humane methods of trapping that can be used. There is no reason to continue to allow the use of steel-jaw traps. The recent mountain lion’s preventable death was not okay and cannot be allowed to happen again. Please, ban this out-dated and barbaric method of trapping.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Facebook Comments
7 Comments
I can’t beleive that anyone is that cruel to do something like that, how would you like your leg cautht in a steel jaw trap, what is wrong with you people.
I can’t believe that these things are still out there. What companies are making them? Why can’t they be banned from manufacture? If they are illegal, why are they not removed and the laws enforced? Too many questions I suppose, and too difficult to answer because of vested interests and bribery!
I know how devastating this can be since as child one of my cats was caught in a trap and by the time he made it home he was so far gone we had to have him put to sleep.Who knows how long he had been there before the jerk that set the trap found him.
What a cruel species we are!
I can’t imagine anyone wanting to trap or kill an animal who only wanted to stay alive. Anyone who uses a steel trap to kill or imprison an animal needs to chance places with the animal itself. I love animals – and they’re God’s creatures, too. Remember that!
How fuckin cruel.Steel traps are inhumane and anybody who uses them should be charged with cruelty to animals .They also need to give jail sentences to anyone who is convicted of cruelty
Signed and shared.
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