Trapping Reform in Wyoming

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Trap Release Workshop in Pinedale, May 3

Wyoming Untrapped will host a pet safety trap release workshop in Pinedale at the Rendezvous Pointe Senior Center on May 3 at 6:30pm.  This event is free and open to the public.  Dave Pauli, Senior Advisor of Wildlife Response and Policy for the Humane Society of the United States, will demonstrate how to release pets from a variety of traps, using specific items such as dog leashes.  Mr. Pauli has traveled the world, giving workshops and rescuing a variety of animals.

You may not be aware, but there are thousands of traps and snares on our public lands in Wyoming.  There is a trapping season for furbearing animals including pine marten, bobcats, mink, muskrat, weasel, and beavers, which extends from October 1 to April 30 each year.  However, traps and snares can be set out for predators such as coyotes, red foxes, porcupine, raccoons, skunks, and stray cats year-round on almost any type of land in Wyoming.  The public trails and lands that you recreate on can have traps and snares present at all times of the year.

Wyoming Untrapped is a non-profit organization based in Jackson that is aiming to create a safe and humane environment for people, pets, and wildlife through education and trapping regulation reform.  One of our main goals is to educate people who are recreating on public trails about the dangers that are present to people and pets in the form of traps and snares.

We continue to hear about incidents of pets caught in traps across the state.  We have confirmed at least 21 reported incidents in which pets have been caught by traps in Wyoming since 2011.  Some pets sustained serious injuries that required costly veterinary care.  With no required reporting in Wyoming, it is certain that there have been many more non-documented cases involving household pets.

A properly set trap is very difficult to see and many of them are baited, which will attract your pet.  There is no regulation that prohibits the placement of a trap on a trail.  There is also no limit to how many traps can be placed by each trapper.  There are very few limits on how many furbearing animals can be trapped each year, leaving our wildlife susceptible to population declines due to over-harvest.  Trappers are not required to report how many animals they trap or any non-target animals, such as dogs, that are trapped.  If you see a trap, trapped animal, or if you have a pet that is caught by a trap, please contact us.  Visit www.wyominguntrapped.org/database to submit your encounter.  Or email us at info@wyominguntrapped.org or call 307-201-2422.

Trappers are allowed to place an unlimited number of traps and snares almost anywhere on public lands, including on popular, heavily used hiking trails.  They are only required to check leg-hold traps every 72 hours, Conibear traps and snares every 13 days, and are not responsible for trapped pets.  Join us for this workshop to learn how to keep your pet safe and release your pet from a trap should the need ever arise.

This workshop is being sponsored by Happy Endings Animal Rescue and the Humane Society of the U.S.

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