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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-05-1999 - 10aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 5, 1999 SUBJECT: To Hear a Report on Banning Inhumane Animal Traps DEPARTMENT: Health ATTACHMENT(S): Letter from Animal Protection Society to Health Director Excerpt from 1998-99 NC Wildlife Regulations Digest Report from APS Ad -Hoc Committee Action Agenda Item No. 10=Q PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary L. Summers, Health Director TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - - eat. 2411 Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 968 -4501 Durham 688 -7331 Mebane 227 -2031 PURPOSE: To hear a report on inhumane traps for animals and to consider a possible ordinance revision. BACKGROUND: Steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, conibear traps, snares, and other traps which cause excessive suffering by design are considered inhumane. Such traps include those that catch or hold an animal through gripping, injuring, piercing, or severing any body part, or that attempt to kill by drowning. Such traps are inhumane by definition and are dangerous to humans and pets. Furthermore, the vast majority of animals caught and injured in such traps are not the animals the trapper was seeking to catch. When the animal control ordinance was first adopted in the 1980's there were concerns that banning leghold traps would affect the income of trappers. According to Ms. Sanford, Orange County currently has three trappers that trap on a "for hire" basis, and she does not think this would be a major concern, estimating a loss of approximately $300 of revenue. The Board of Health reviewed the information at its August meeting and supports a revision of the ordinance to include a ban on inhumane traps for animals. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATON(S): The Manager recommends that the Board hear the report and provide direction on proceeding with a revision of the ordinance. ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY 1 061 AIRPORT ROAD • CHAPEL HILL. NORTH CAROLINA 27514 TELEPHONE 919-967-7383 • FAX 919-987-7517 Rosie Summer, Director Orange County Health Department PO Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC Dear Rosie: For the last year and a half the APS Animal Welfare Committee has been researching leghold traps, conibear traps, and snares to determine if their use was humane. There is an abundance of materials available, and the Committee Member* have analyzed and sifted through myriad reports. They have concluded that these traps are inhumane and recommend a ban on the use of leghold, conibear, and snares traps in Orange County. While the materials they have prepared are very disturbing to see and hard- punching, it was tortuous for the animals in the pictures and for animals caught In leghold traps. And another disturbing fact is, like the dog and cat In the pictures, 87% of animals trapped are nontarget animals. You may be interested to loam that a recent poll determined that 74% of Americans are against the use of leghold traps. We are asking the Commissioner* of Orange County to read this report and to vote to add the following ban to the Orange County Animal Ordinance. A copy of the proposal is attached. We are also asking for your support. The NC Wildlife Resource Commission has shared with us that in 1998 there were only 3 licensed trappers in Orange County. Since there are strict limits on the numbers of animals that can be trapped (only 30 raccoons a season, for example) and the price of pelts Is very low (approximately $10 for a good pelt), the Committee feels that there will be no economic impact from this ban. But by putting the ban in place, there will be a huge impact on animal welfare. Please let me know If you would like to meet with Committee members. Si /71y, at Sanford Executive Director 81:199 2 J ,�,:; xrr # � w $$. /y�rx(�� `+,. af" "` �'"�`�" .. rr f7 ds fin , o _ s ' `� "�� �' • ; , �_ W'4 J, I } -`.. aY.�..�##� ! ^ i "F^ --... - x'y. r..4� �s'.�- >..�°'.: _ �k 1�ff }�y Mi��•�" "!ail f 77 ,Xy i `�, � 'f"' tom} '�+• •;,�1+� Y�i ar � . >1 �f � P�y It XI 1 3 8 yi y 4X t =,`(3- ..3i 7 y� �i {t :' ° ��s�t�� ♦. -.n.l ��k� s�'�e y `� � �}' { }+1t i s, +� k fi 'sjElt� {r t rjl ) t El IF L.� �C....r. �l�N,.y lt' 7 ,J ,v,,e,,,,4 '?s ¢.T' -gy ei t N^+± eft w " �`„'�.�.a 1p df {ye f Y f t Y It is legal to trap beaver, coyote, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opos- sum, otter, raccoon, skunk, weasel and bobcat during the listed seasons unless otherwise noted. GENERAL TRAPPING RESTRICTIONS it is unlawful to: • Trap raccoons in and west of Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes, Alexander, Catawba, Lincoln and Gaston counties. • Trap or take otter in and west of Stokes, Forsyth, Davie, Iredell and Mecklenburg counties. • Set steel traps for mink or muskrat in or west of Surry, Wilkes, Alexander, Catawba, Burke and Cleveland counties, except in or adjacent to lakes, streams, or ponds. • Sell or otherwise transfer ownership of the carcass or pelt of a bobcat or otter without first tagging it with the appropri- ate tag available from the Commission. (Send $2.20 for each bobcat or otter tag along with your name, address, and hunting or trapping license number to: License Section, P.O Box 29565, Raleigh, NC 27626 - 0565). • Open or damage a beaver lodge with- out a permit from the Commission. • Set snares of any type, except for cap- turing beaver. See GAME LANDS for trapping restric- tions on certain game lands. STATEWIDE TRAPPING LAW It is unlawful to: • Take wild animals by trapping upon the land of another without having in pos- session written permission issued and dated within the previous year by the landowner or his agent. • Take wild animals by trapping with any steel -jaw, leghold or conibear trap unless it: YOU CAN HELP STOP POACHING! Report Wildlife Violations Toil Free Number 1,- 800 -662 -7173 (in the Raleigh area, call 6624281) NnTF• For the convenience of the reader, maior a. has a jaw spread of not more than 7% inches. b. is horizontally offset with closed jaw offset of at least al/is inch for a trap with a jaw spread of more than 51Ye inches. This provision does not apply 0 the trap is set in the water with a quick -drown type set. c. is smooth edged and without teeth or spikes. d. has a weather - resistant permanent tag attached legibly giving the trap- per's name and address. • Set a steel -jaw or leghold trap on dry land with solid anchor with a trap chain longer, than 8 inches from trap to anchor unless fitted with a shock - absorbing device approved by the Commission. • Set a trap of the number 330 conibear type or size unless at least % of the trap Is covered by water. • Remove or disturb any lawfully set trap or remove any furbearing animal from a trap without permission of the trap owner. • Set or use a trap so that animals or birds will be suspended when caught. • Set or use a hook of any sort or type to take wild animals or wild birds, SEASONS NOVEMBER 7- FEBRUARY 12 In and west of Surry, Wilkes, Alexander, Catawba, Burke, -and Cleveland counties. DECEMBER 15- FEBRUARY 28 In and east of Hartford, Bertie, Martin, Pitt , Greene, Lenoir, Duplin, Pander and New Hanover counties,' except in the marshes adjoining Currituck Sound in Currituck County the seasog is December 15 -March 12. DECEMBER 1- FEBRUARY 20 In all other counties. Season Bag Limit: of 30 raccoons in and east of Rockingham, Guilford, Randolph, Montgomery, and Anson counties. Season Bag Limit: of 20 raccoons in Cabarrus, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes and Union counties. ATTENDANCE Every trap must be visited daily and any animal caught therein removed. BEAVER DEPREDATION • Landowners whose property is or has been damaged or destroyed by beaver may take beaver on their property (during any season) by any lawful method without obtaining a permit from the Wildlife Resources Commission, and may obtain assis- tance from other persons in taking the depredating beaver by giving those persons permission to take beaver on the landowner's property. UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT OF PERSONS TAKING WILDLIFE. RESOURCES It is unlawful for a person to interfere intentionally with the lawful taking of wildlife resources or to drive, harass, or intentionally disturb any .wildlife resources for the purpose of disrupting the lawful taking of wildlife resources on public or private property. NOTE: This law does not apply to activity by a per- son on land he owns or leases or to a person who Incidentally interferes with the taking of wildlife resources while using the land for other lawful activity such as agriculture, mining, or recreation. Violation of We subsection is a misdemeanor punishable for a first conviction by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), by Imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or by both and punishable for a second or subsequent conviction by a fine left to the discretion of the court. (North Carolina General Statute 113 -295) WHAT SHOULD I DO? Immediately notify your nearest Wildlife Enforcement Officer, Sheriff's Dept. or local police. Advise the authorities of this anti- hunting law and that you wish to hunt peacefully. WHAT NOT TO DO Do not provoke a fight, threaten reprisal§ or use profanity. Remember these anti - hunting activists are seeking confrontation and may be accompanied by the news media. regulation changes appear shaoec wnere possae. cr 4 5 ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY AD HOC COMNII'ITEE FOR BAN ON INHUMANE TRAPS STATEMENT OF OBJECIWES This is an ad hoc committee appointed to research inhumane traps and present recommendations for a ban on inhumane traps in Orange County. Such a ban will assure the humane treatment of wild animals and any non - target or domestic animals caught in traps set by licensed trappers in Orange County. Members: Lauren Butare, Heather Tallent, Pat Sanford, Carrie Humphries, Jonathan Gilmore, Virgina Ellington, Kathleen C. Martin, and Warren Porter ASSESSMENT OF NEED Steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, conibear traps, snares, and other traps which cause excessive suffering by design are considered inhumane. These traps include any traps that catch or hold an animal through gripping, injuring, piercing, or severing any body part, or that attempt to kill by drowning. The Committee proposes that a higher level of safety for non - target animals and humans, as well as a more humane solution for the trapping of mammals in Orange County, could be attained through a ban on inhumane traps. PROPOSAL FOR A BAN ON INHUMANE TRAPS IN ORANGE COUNTY Section I. The ban of inhumane traps will protect people, domestic animals, and wildlife from the danger of cruel traps and ensure the protection of non - targeted animals. "A person shall not use, set, place, maintain, manufacture or possess any trap for the purpose of capturing fur - bearing mammals, except for common type mouse and rat traps, nets, and box or cage type traps, as otherwise permitted by law. A box or cage type traps is one that confines the whole animal without grasping any part of the animal, including Hancock or Bailey's type of live traps for beavers. Other than nets and common type mouse or rat traps, traps designed to capture and hold a fur -bearing mammal by gripping, injuring, piercing, or severing the animal's body or body part, and traps designed to kill by drowning are prohibited, including but not limited to steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, conibear traps, and snares. "Whoever violates any provisions of this section, or any rule or regulation made under the authority thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for each trap possessed, used, set, maintained, or manufactured. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense. 6 "The prohibition on the use of these devices may be waived by the director of animal control upon written application (1) for the control of individual animals specifically identified as posing a threat to human safety, or individual animals that have destroyed livestock, property, or crops in situations where humane traps and other deterrents have failed; and (2) for legitimate scientific research projects that are conducted in a humane manner for the benefit of that target species." CONTENTS I. Leghold Traps .................................................................. ...........................:..3 A. How they work B. Individual cruelty C. Effects on target species populations D. Effects on non - target species populations 1. non - target fur - bearers 2. endangered species 3. domestic animals 4. people 11. Body Grip Traps ............................................................ ..............................7 III. Snares .......... ............................... 7 IV. Current NC Legislation ................................................ ..............................7 A. Licensing requirements B. Trapping season C. Season bag limits -Chart: Number of Animals Bagged in Orange County through Trapping D. Attendance requirements E. Over- trapping F. Trapping restrictions in NC V. Ban legislation ................................................................ .............................11 A. Bans in other countries and states B. European Union Ban C. Public opinion poll regarding leghold traps VI. Pros and Cons of a ban on inhumane traps ..................... .........................x...12 VII. Possible arguments against ban ...... ............................... ..........................x..12 A. Control for population, over- population B. Create a healthier population C. Predator control D. Protect private property K 7 FINDINGS I. LEGHOLD TRAPS A. How they work ** *The trap is composed of two metal jaws which slam shut on an animal's limb or any other body part when triggered. The leghold trap, namely the steel jaw trap, is widely used in the United States today. The trap is composed of two metal jaws, powered by high strength springs, which slam shut on an animal's paw when triggered t. Often, some sort of bait is put around the set trap to lure the target animals 2. Each type of leg -hold trap is designed for either a specific species or a certain size of animal, although these restrictions do not prevent non - target animals from becoming trapped 3. B. Individual cruelty ** *Animals sustain lacerations, ripped tendons, broken bones and teeth, and even the loss of limbs from leghold traps. Although the initial impact of the steel jaws causes injury to the target animal's limbs, the majority of damage occurs when the animal struggles to break free. A trapped animal will bite the trap, causing severe dental damage and broken teeth. By twisting and pulling in an effort to release itself from the trap's hold, an animal will receive massive lacerations, ripped tendons, and broken bones. * **Leghold traps are not designed to kill trapped animals, but hold them until the trapper returns. In the meantime, these animals are subjected to extensive pain and possible death due to exposure, shock, and predation. "While causing extensive injury, leghold traps are not designed to kill an animal outright, but rather to restrain it until the trapper returns," 4. After struggling for hours with the trap, the animal may succumb to exhaustion, which often leads to death from exposure, frostbite and shock S. Dehydration, blood loss, and predation are other potential causes of death for the trapped animal. "Wring -off' occurs when the trapped animal chews off its confined limb in order to free itself from the leghold trap. Most of these animals probably die from blood loss, infection, and inability to hunt 6. ' Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade/leghold.htm (CAFT) 'Friends of Animals/snares.htm (FOA) 3 Eveland 20 CAFT/leghold.htm i People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals/fswilo2.htm (PETA) 6 CAFT /leghold.htm C. Effects on target species populations ** *Unlike hunting and fishing regulations, these are no restrictioMI on the number, size, age, or sex of the animals within a species that a trapper can harvest, * * *A trapper has no way of controlling which individuals of a species his traps will catch. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission does not cond4ct annual field surveys of regional fur -bearer populations within the state, and therefore his no records on the populations of any species in any given area. The Commission depends oti the numbers turned in by licensed trappers and fur dealers to determine significant increases o4decreases in species populations 7. There are no limits on the number of animals a trapper can trap in a given area, except a seasonal bag limit of 20 -30 raccoons in specific counties . Populations fluctuate naturally in nature without human predation, end it is true that with controls on humans' harvesting, these species would continue to increase 9j d decrease in a natural manner. However, without any of these controls and direct, reliabl� indicators of how a particular population is faring relative to the effects of trapping, the Commission cannot protect certain species in an area suffering from over - trapping 9. f There are many regulations set for hunting and fishing. A licensed hunter or fisherman is restricted as to the number of animals or fish he can take or possess in a daV and a season, the size and age of the creature, its gender, the manner of taking, the aid of baits or lures, and many other factors 10. These restrictions are part of an effort to maintain viable species populations. There are no such restrictions on trapping, primarily due to the fact that traps are non - specific and the trapper has no way of controlling the species, age, sex, or physical bondition of any animal the trap captures. There is no way to control which individuals of i target species will be trapped, and therefore no way to control the effects of trapping on a population. r Trapping can also upset the natural balance of predator to prey. W4en a large number of predators in an area are removed, the different prey species populations indrease dramatically. During such a population boom of deer mice in New Mexico several years;ago, over fifty people contracted the Hanta virus from mice and later died 1i. Although some peajple would propose trapping as a solution to a problem such as this, deer mice are not a species) which is commonly trapped, or one for which there is a market. Sumner 12/5/97 a North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 27 ( NCWRC) 9 Eveland 38 io NCWRC 9 -24, 36-42 11 CAmenviron.htm 4 9 E. Effects on non - target species populations 1. Non - target fur - bearers ** *Two to ten times as many non- target species are caught as target species in leghold traps. ** *These species am just as susceptible to over - trapping as target species. Non - target species comprise 50% to 90% the number of animals caught by a trapper. These unwanted animals may be used for food by the trapper, as bait for other prey, tossed aside for scavengers, or released alive in which case most die from sustained injuries 12 Dick Randall, a former "expert" government - employed trapper testified in Congress in 1976 that: "Even though I was an experienced, professional trapper, my trap victims included non - target species such as bald eagles and golden eagles, a variety of hawks and other birds, rabbits, sage grouse, pet dogs, deer, antelope, porcupines, sheep and calves. "The leghold trap is inherently non - selective. It is probably the most cruel device ever invented by man. My trapping records show that for each target animal I trapped, about two unwanted individuals were caught. Because of trap injuries, these non - target species had to be destroyed." 13 Since there are no regulations which apply to trapping non - target species, these populations are subject to the same adverse effects as target species. "If (trap -out) can occur to target species, then it is certainly possible, if not highly probable, it would occur to some of the non - target species in that same area," 14. 2. Endangered species ** *Endangered and threatened species are caught in leghold traps. Species considered endangered or threatened by local and federal- governments are protected by law from unnecessary killing and harassment 15. However, since leghold traps are non - selective and a trapper has no control over what kind of animal steps into his trap, many of these species end up injured or killed. "In 1973 a trapper with the federal government reported that 2,500 bald and golden eagles had been caught in traps in Nevada. Six hundred thirty died in the traps, and undoubtedly others died later as a result of trap induced injuries," 16. An eight -year study conducted by the University of Minnesota Raptor Research and Rehabilitation Program 12 Eveland 65 13 Eveland 14 Eveland 74 +s Eveland 79 '� CAmenviron.htrn 4, � ' • OP„ .w fs "la k- M h A } �+ r 3�� Psi i�;i'�'��� � . \ \�¥ \ ~� � � � m :4 m / 7� `� � %' �\ $� � ��\ .���© ����. � � �� § \.� � . . . �. , icy . \ \�¥ \ ~� � � A y f