The Public Trust Doctrine of wildlife holds that live wild animals can be owned by no individual, but are owned collectively by all and held in trust by the government for all citizens. Representative Nita Lowey D-NY, is the sponsor of bill H.R. 2657, the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act, which would finally end the barbaric practice of trapping on national wildlife refuge lands. It was introduced in July of 2011 and has 28 co-sponsors but is now stalled at the House Committee on Natural Resources. WE THE PEOPLE generally have no opportunity to voice our opinion on the bill while the bill is receiving its most important consideration.
Isn't the entire purpose of a National Wildlife Refuge to provide the animals that inhabit it a safe haven from harmful human intervention? In light of the above, it seems extremely odd that today, over half of the federally protected wildlife areas still permit the cruel practice of animal trapping on their grounds.Public opinion surveys show the vast majority of Americans believe commercial and recreational trapping and the use of body-gripping traps should be prohibited on all refuges, public opinion polls showed that 79% of Americans believe trapping on National Wildlife Refuges should be prohibited, while 88% believe wildlife and habitat preservation should be the highest priority of the refuge system. Humane concerns aside, the use of leghold traps, neck snares, and other body-gripping devices poses a serious hazard to non-target wildlife, including threatened and endangered species. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of "non-target" animals fall victim to indiscriminate body-gripping traps each year in the U.S. alone. Many companion dogs and cats have been caught in these dreadful devices. Trappers, who compromise less than one tenth of 1% of the population, already have access to millions of acres of public and private lands outside the refuge system for their activities. Does this small percentage of trappers have the right to maim and kill our wildlife for pleasure or profit? As lands specifically set aside to provide animals a safe home, refuges should be inviolate sanctuaries, not killing fields for trappers. Some 89 countries have banned the leghold trap, recognizing that it is a barbarically cruel device, and that wildlife management goals can be achieved without it. The American Veterinarian Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the World Veterinary Association, and the National Animal Control Association all agree that leghold traps are INHUMANE!. In the U.S. only 8 states have banned or severely restricted its use. Please also use this site to contact members of the committee. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=HSII