legislation > trapping

KEY MESSAGE: Body-gripping traps are killing and maiming people's dogs.

BILL: Support Senate File 1325 and House File 1655, which would require body-gripping traps be set in such a way as to protect dogs from being accidentally caught and killed. (Read stories below.)

ACTION (April 2015): The bill is making progress in the Senate and will go to the Senate floor next for a vote. Contact your State Senate now and ask him or her to vote yes for Senate File 1325. To find your Senator go to: LEGISLATORS

(Click on the name and you will be directed to his/her contact information.)

You can say "Hello. As a constituent, I urge you to vote for Senate File 1325 when it comes to the Senate floor. This bill will help ensure dogs are not caught and killed in body-gripping traps in Minnesota. Thank you."

Senate File 1325 is Senator John Hoffman. Co-authors are Sen. John Marty, Sen. Charles Wiger, Sen. Patricia Torres Ray and Sen. Alice Johnson.

Please also send an email to leadership of the Minnesota Senate:

• Majority Leader of the Senate (DFL) Senator Tom Bakk.

Contact info: Senator Tom Bakk

• Minority Leader of the Senate (GOP): Senator David Hann

Contact info: Senator David Hann

House File 1655 is Representative Peter Fischer. Co-authors are Rep. Alice Hausman and Rep. Jason Isaacson.

Contact your House Representative. To find your Representative, go to: LEGISLATORS

Say the same message as above but use the House File number (not Senate number): House File 1655

Please also send an email to leadership of the Minnesota House of Representatives:

• Speaker of the House (GOP) Rep. Kurt Daudt

Contact info: Rep. Kurt Daudt

• Minority Leader of the House (DFL) Rep. Paul Thissen

Contact info: Rep. Paul Thissen

NOTE: This bill does not outlaw trapping. This bill would require body-grip traps to be either fully submerged, placed in boxes (with specified size of the opening), or mounted five feet above the ground. Unfortunately, this language will not protect all species who are caught in these traps and suffer or die. However, it is an improvement on the current situation. If these changes are written into law, they would greatly reduce the number of dogs who are killed and maimed by body-grip traps each year. Although this bill does not call for a general ban on trapping, it is a pragmatic step forward.

(This legislation is being led by Sportsmen Take Action Dog Lovers 4 Safe Trapping. Stories compiled are by these organizations. Further details can be found on links below.)

WHAT ARE THESE TRAPS?

The traps are known as Conibear or body-grip traps. These traps are different from snares, which might grab a leg or paw and the animal might try to chew off a limb to escape. As explained by Sportsmen Take Action: "Body-grip traps have 7" x 7" or 6" x 6" wide jaws (some jaws are 10" x 10") and are set vertically where a dog touches his or her nose to the trigger and the trap clamps over the head and cinches tightly behind the skull."

The traps are set with smelly bait, attracting animals of varying sizes to it. Some trappers place body-grip traps in boxes or 5-gallon plastic buckets but a dog can still stick his or her head inside to get the bait.

To protect some animals (such as dogs and cats) and humans walking through the woods or along pathways, this legislation proposes language that would require the traps to be set in a safer manner. Specifically, the bill would require body-grip traps to be either fully submerged, placed in boxes (with a specified size of opening), or mounted 5' above the ground. The bill would also require a person to report (within 24 hours) if a dog or collared pet is found in a trap. (Currently trappers are not required to report it.)