Page Back

Maryland Alliance for Greenway Improvement and Conservation

March 6, 2001

Senator C.W. Blount

Chairman, EEC Committee

Miller Senate Office Bldg.

Annapolis, MD 21401

Ref: Support SB 543

Dear Senator Blount:

We urge you to support SB 543 which will outlaw leghold traps. Each year leghold traps in the United States injure and kill millions of "nontarget" animals such as domestic dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, songbirds, raptors, livestock, and even endangered species. Animals caught by the leghold trap suffer excruciating pain and the trap often cuts tendons and ligaments, and breaks bones. Many animals trapped by leghold devices will chew or twist off the limb caught in the trap in an effort to escape the pain. The leghold trap is a cruel, archaic device that should be abolished in Maryland because of its inherent cruelty.

Voters in Washington, Massachusetts, Colorado, California and Arizona have approved very strict bans on trapping, and New Jersey, Florida and Rhode Island have banned leghold traps specifically. We urge Maryland to do the same.

Leghold traps are designed primarily for the purpose of capturing fur bearing animals such as foxes, raccoons, and beavers. In Maryland, trappers are only required to check their traps, set on land, every 36 hours. During this period, the trapped animal is enduring excruciating pain, and is left exposed to the elements and larger predators. Trapped animals often die from blood loss or hypothermia during this time period.

SB 543, allows exemptions if trapping is conducted by certain government agencies and allows trappers to continue using leghold traps to capture nutria, a non-native species blamed for environmental damage along the eastern shore. This is not a particularly attractive part of the bill since nutria, or any other animal, is subject to the same pain when caught by a leghold trap. Luckily, most nutria trapping is done without leghold traps, but the exemption would allow its use should it be desired.

Sincerely,

Robert DeGroot

The following Alliance Partners agree with and support this letter: