Trapping bills - 2015 - MSPCA-Angell

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Legislative Action Needed to Protect Wildlife in Massachusetts

Several bills that would significantly expand inhumane trapping in MA are pending. Please let your legislators know you care about protecting wildlife by sending them the following email. Visit our website for more information.

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Dear [Decision Maker],

As a resident of your district, I would like you to know that I'm very concerned about trapping bills that were reported from the Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture Committee.

H. 714: An Act to establish a Beaver Damage Control Commission would create a biased commission that would make beaver trapping decisions based primarily on economic factors instead of scientific or environmental data.

H. 4165: An Act relative to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife would amend a section of the Wildlife Protection Act (Ch. 131, Sec. 80A), which was passed through the ballot in 1996. This bill would make significant changes to the WPA, including:

(1) Removing critical time limits on permits allowing body-gripping traps (in cases of health/safety). Under current law, trapping may only occur for a limited amount of time (an initial ten-day period). If trapping does not solve the problem in this time-frame an additional permit may be issued, but only if a long-term plan is put into place to address the conflict using alternative, nonlethal management techniques. H. 4165 would remove those critical time limits on the use of inhumane body-gripping traps and the requirement for an alternative plan if trapping does not address the health or safety problem.

(2) Moving decision-making power regarding health/safety away from local boards of health, and giving the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife power to issue ongoing trapping with body-gripping traps.

(3) Creating opportunities for unlimited trapping without meaningful consideration of humane alternatives. While the language of the bill requires that the "most humane option available in accordance with best practices," the term "best practices" is vague and subjective and could be interpreted to allow unlimited, trapping in lieu of humane alternatives. In fact, a document called "Best Management Practices in the U.S." by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies makes no consideration of humane alternatives to address conflicts with wildlife.

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Please oppose these bills and any other legislation that would expand inhumane trapping in Massachusetts. The current law allows people to resolve conflicts, but wildlife is not inhumanely trapped unnecessarily.

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Legislative Action Needed to Protect Wildlife in Massachusetts Several bills that would significantly expand inhumane trapping in MA are pending. Please let your legislators know you care about protecting wildlife by sending them the following email. Visit our website for more information.

Legislative Action Needed to Protect Wildlife in Massachusetts

Several bills that would significantly expand inhumane trapping in MA are pending. Please let your legislators know you care about protecting wildlife by sending them the following email. Visit our website for more information.