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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Bill Introduced to Restrict Cruel, Dangerous Traps and Poisons in New Mexico
Legislation would Make Outdoor Recreation Safer and Enhance Tourism
Contact: Wendy Keefover (505) 988-9126 x1162
Additional Contacts:
Laura Bonar | Animal Protection Voters | 505.401.8936
Mary Katherine
Ray | Sierra Club, Rio Grande Chapter
| 575.772.5655
Monica
Engebretson | Born Free USA | 916.267.7266
Santa Fe–Representative Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales
(D-Taos) sent a big Valentine’s heart to New Mexico’s wildlife, people, and
companion animals when last week he introduced the New Mexico Wildlife
Protection & Public Safety Act, House Bill 579 which restricts the use of
traps and poisons in New Mexico. If passed, the law will curb the cruelty and
suffering caused by hidden but dangerous traps and poisons in New Mexico, and
elevate human safety for outdoor recreationists.
“While we
struggle with enhancing New Mexico's economic development, it’s to our
advantage to make our fabulous outdoor recreational destinations safe and
enjoyable for our residents and for tourists and visitors. Having anyone or
their pet get crushed in a trap or killed by a poison casts a very negative
light on our state,” said Rep. Gonzales.
Most people are
shocked and surprised to learn that archaic traps and dangerous poisons are
still legal.
“New Mexicans
want to reject cruel, 19th-Century devices and approaches to
conflicts with wildlife," said Lisa Jennings, Executive Director of Animal
Protection Voters.
“Traps are like
drift nets on the land, snagging bobcats, foxes, coyotes and also javelina,
deer, raptors, squirrels, quail, roadrunners and more,” affirmed Mary Katherine
Ray, Wildlife Chair, Rio Grand Chapter of the Sierra Club.
“Untold numbers
of New Mexico’s wildlife, people and companion animals have suffered from the
unimaginable cruelty from virtually unregulated and hidden traps and poisons in
New Mexico,” emphasized Wendy Keefover, Carnivore Protection Program
Director for WildEarth Guardians.
“Born Free USA's
recent investigation documented the cruelty suffered by trapped wildlife
including bobcats and mountain lion cubs caught in New Mexico traps,” added
Monica Engebretson, Senior Program Associate of Born Free USA. “This bill will
safeguard New Mexico wildlife from such needless suffering.”
Despite a
multi-year effort by citizens to persuade the New Mexico Game Commission to ban
or even simply curb trapping, the Commission responded by expanding trapping in areas that had been prohibited to trapping,
and it even lifted the trap ban in the range of the highly-endangered Mexican
wolf. These decisions were in the wake of massive public support for more
restrictions and/or a ban on trapping, reinforced by 12,000 emails, petitions,
and letters.
The TrapFree New
Mexico coalition, which calls for banning traps in New Mexico, then held the
People’s Forum in September 2011, because thousands of citizens’ voices went
unheard. In April 2012, the Coalition traveled to Grants, Farmington,
Española, Taos, Portales, Roswell, Silver City, and Los Lunas
and presented, “The Troubles
with Trapping” in eight public forums.
Six communities
(Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Mesilla, Santa Fe, Silver City, Taos), and four
counties (Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Santa Fe and Taos) have passed resolutions
supporting a ban on traps on public lands in New Mexico.
“Through these
processes, we learned that the majority of New Mexico’s voters want traps and
poisons banned from our beautiful landscapes,” remarked Ray.
The
TrapFreeNM.org Coalition is comprised of WildEarth Guardians, Rio Grande
Chapter of the Sierra Club, Animal Protection of New Mexico, Animal Protection
Voters and Born Free USA.
# # #
View the Bill:
http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=579&year=13
View TrapFreeNM’s Website:
http://www.trapfreenm.org/
Witness Born Free USA’s Undercover, New Mexico Investigation
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/press.php?p=2765&more=1
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