Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (2024)

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Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (1)

Each year, around 5 million wild animals, including coyotes, foxes and bobcats, are caught and killed in wild traps, mainly in the US, Canada and Russia, although trapping does occur in other countries too on a smaller scale.

Traps are indiscriminate, catching the first animal to step on them. Countless dogs and cats, deer, birds and other animals—including threatened and endangered animals—are also injured and killed each year by the traps. These animals are referred to by trappers as‘trash’.

Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (2)

Trap checking times range from once every 24 hours to once every 14 days. The regulations on trapping are weak and extremely difficult to enforce, which means untold amounts of animal suffering goes undocumented and uninvestigated.

Trappers are rarely prosecuted when a pet is caught by a trap. Trapping is a largely unregulated activity, and where restrictions do apply, they are poorly enforced. In most cases, trappers do not leave identification on their traps, so trappers cannot be traced or fined for neglecting their traps.

Welfare problems

Trapping is an inherently violent practice. Traps that are used, including steel-jaw leghold traps, body-gripping traps, and wire neck snares, are inhumane devices that inflict great pain and suffering. The traps are designed to crush animals in a vice like grip rather than kill them – meaning they can’t fend off predators.

In aletter to US Congress, Collin Wolff, a New Mexico veterinarian, wrote:

“The undeniable truth is these bone-crushing devices are inherently indiscriminate and inhumane.”

Many animals die trying to free themselves, next to dehydration, blood loss and hypothermia. Often animals become so desperate, they resort to chewing or wringing off their own trapped limb in order to escape, breaking teeth and bones in the process. Trappers refer to this as ‘ring-off’.

Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (3)

Some may die from blood loss or shock but most animals will be trapped for days before the trapper returns to kill them. When the trapper finally returns, to avoid damaging the pelt, the animal is bludgeoned, choked, or stomped to death.

Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (4)

Over 100 countries, including the EU and China, have prohibited the use of the steel-jaw leghold trap. But in the United States, steel-jaw traps are not only legal, they are the go-to tool for trappers who capture and kill millions of wild animals a year for the global fur market.

Both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association have declared the steel-jaw leghold trap to be inhumane.

In September 2019, California became the first state in the US to ban trapping for commercial and recreational purpose.

Pets and traps

Traps, be it steel-jawed leghold traps, conibear traps, or snares, are inherently indiscriminate. Each year, traps in the United States injure and kill millions of “nontarget” animals—domestic dogs and cats, rabbits, deer, songbirds, raptors, livestock, and even endangered species. Referred to as “trash” animals, nontarget wildlife often are simply thrown away. Injuries from leghold traps are often so severe that the injured limb of a trapped companion animal must be amputated. Conibear traps, however, kill many of their unintended victims.

  • Nita Lowey, US Congresswoman

    "Indiscriminate body-gripping traps on public land affect the welfare of wild animals and humans alike.”

  • Lorena Gonzalez, California Assemblywoman (2019)

    “Fur trapping is a cruel practice that has no place in 21st century California.”

  • Corey Booker, US Senator

    “These cruel traps don’t distinguish between targeted animals and protected animals, endangered species or pets, and are a safety hazard to people. It’s past time to remove this antiquated and inhumane practice from federal wildlife refuges.”

Photos

More facts

Infographic: The Cruel Reality of Fur Trapping

The Fur-bearer Defenders Fact Sheet

Photography: Joanne McArthur/We Animals. All rights reserved.

Trapping - Animal Welfare Problems (2024)

FAQs

What is the problem with animal welfare? ›

Issues concerning the welfare of animals include habitat, nutrition, comfort, and the humane treatment of animals. The general well-being of animals is another way of saying animal welfare. Animal welfare activists advocate for the welfare of non-human animals.

Is trapping animals ethical? ›

Not only are traps cruel, they are also completely indiscriminate. Every year, dogs, cats, birds, and other animals—including endangered species—are “accidentally” crippled or killed by traps placed in public areas across the country.

Why are people against trapping? ›

Traps are indiscriminate, catching the first animal to step on them. Countless dogs and cats, deer, birds and other animals—including threatened and endangered animals—are also injured and killed each year by the traps. These animals are referred to by trappers as 'trash'.

Is trapping worth it? ›

Trapping also benefits wildlife populations by controlling predation on sensitive species. Many coastal shorebird populations have recovered after trappers removed foxes, raccoons, skunks and other predators.

Why are people against animal welfare? ›

One of the most common arguments against animal rights is that there are many predators in the wild who hunt and eat meat-based prey. Why should humans, who are also animals, be exempt? Animal rights advocates counter that a lion, being a feline, is what is considered an obligate carnivore.

What are the key issues of animal welfare? ›

The five key welfare needs are:
  • Environment — the need for a suitable environment and place to live.
  • Diet — the need for a suitable diet.
  • Behaviour — the need to express normal behaviour.
  • Companionship — the need to consider your pet's social needs.
  • The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Sep 15, 2023

What is the hardest animal to trap? ›

The toughest animal to trap is the coyote. “You have to do a number of things right in order to be able to catch foxes.” But to trap a coyote, “you've got to do everything right.” “Coyotes will kill a fox because they're in competition for food,” he said.

Is trapping risky? ›

Dangers of Cage Trapping

Contracting infection – cages have sharp edges, which can break the skin and expose it to the urine and fecal contamination on the wire. 4. Parasite exposure – fleas, ticks, lice, worms, and other organisms can move from the animal to the trapper.

Is trapping illegal in the US? ›

In conclusion, while there are some restrictions on where and when you can trap nuisance or pest animals, it is generally legal to do so in the United States.

What is the most humane animal trap? ›

Cage traps: Commonly used to capture small animals like squirrels, muskrats, and raccoons, these traps operate on a cage system that has a trigger to close on the animal as it steps into the cage. This is the most humane form of a trap as it catches the animal alive.

What are the disadvantages of trapping? ›

Cons:
  • Can be time-consuming to set and monitor across large areas.
  • Live capture traps, eg. ...
  • Once a trap has been set off, it is unable to catch anything else until it is re-set.
  • For some people, removing carcasses from traps can be stressful.
  • Costs add up if buying a large number of traps and tunnels.

Why is trapping bad for the environment? ›

Lines connecting multiple traps increase the overall footprint and cause additional damage. Lost traps and debris can cause damage to coral, submerged aquatic vegetation, and epifauna, especially if moved by storms.

Are traps inhumane? ›

Trapping is a cruel and dangerous activity threatening native wildlife, humans, and companion animals.

What do trappers do with the animals they trap? ›

While some trappers use taxidermy, others are responsible for preparing the animal carcass by skinning it and preserving its hide. Some things they may do include mounting their trophy on a wall or even stuffing an entire body of the animal to preserve every little bit in all four dimensions.

What is the most effective animal trap? ›

Live traps are considered one of the most humane and effective methods for capturing wildlife. These traps allow for the safe capture and relocation of animals without causing harm. Live traps typically consist of a cage with a trigger mechanism designed to trap the animal once it enters to access the bait.

What are the risks of animal welfare? ›

Increased animal welfare may pose risks for public health, such as increased bacterial, viral or parasitic infections or an increased level of environmental contaminants in the food product.

Is animal welfare an ethical issue? ›

Animal ethics has nothing to do with a sentimental love for animals - the case for animals can be made with great intellectual integrity. Furthermore, it is perfectly consistent to defend animal rights or argue that it's morally wrong to mistreat them, even if you actively dislike animals.

What are the threats to animal welfare? ›

In the name of animal rights, fueled by extreme anthropomorphism, crimes have been committed such as: breaking into research facilities to save 'enslaved' dogs, stealing animals, exposing animals to infectious diseases, and fire-bombing multiple types of animal-based businesses.

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