On the heels of the concern and outrage felt by town citizens regarding a skunk being found in the Town of Innisfail, AB with a wire snare trap tightly and painfully wrapped around it’s body, the citizens of Innisfail, AB call upon The Innisfail Town Council to ban the use of all lethal animal traps including but not limited to snare traps, and leg-hold traps from being used within town limits.

Quite simply, these lethal traps are dangerous, cruel, and outdated. They are not species specific and consequently are dangerous not only to the animal being targeted but to all creatures within the town's borders, including pets and children.

Snare trap: The snare trap is a simple wire noose that encircles the animal’s body (neck, abdomen, leg etc). It tightens as the animal struggles. The snare can cause a terribly prolonged and horrendous death.

The leg-hold trap holds its victims in a vice-like grip that can leave animals writhing in pain for days before death can end their ordeal. 

If these traps are not banned in our town, the story of the snared skunk could easily turn into the story of someone's child painfully injured or a pet maimed or killed by one of these traps.  In fact, we question how many of our lost pets fell victim to someone using these traps. 

As concerned citizens of the Town of Innisfail, we demand a ban on these traps prohibiting their use within town limits, whether it be on private or public property, punishable by a significant monetary penalty and depending on the situation, the offender being reported to Alberta Fish and Wildlife or the Alberta SPCA for further prosecution.