Thank you to everyone who submitted comments to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission last month on its renewed regulations for hunting and trapping of "furbearing" wildlife such as coyotes, foxes, bobcats and beavers. While the Commission largely continued its existing programs, it heard from hundreds of people that hunting and trapping wildlife for fur and recreation is cruel and unjustified, which we hope will influence future consideration of these issues.
The Commission did take one big step foward. After years of resistence, it voted 6-1 to require trappers to check their restraining traps for "predatory" animals - "feral swine, * * * coyotes, rabbits, rodents and birds that are or may be destructive to agricultural crops, products and activities" - at least once every 48 hours instead of, as previously allowed, only once every 76 hours or, in the case of "predatory" animals causing "damage" on private land, as little as once every seven days.
Thanks to Commissioner Jill Zarnowitz for leading the effort to make the change, and to Commissioners Mary Wahl (Chair), Kathayoon Khalil, Leslie King, Becky Hatfield-Hyde and Mark Labhart for voting in favor.
The Commission also voted to require trappers to check so-called "kill" traps, which are intended to kill animals quickly but often don't, at least once every 14 days instead of once every 30 days.
While far from perfect, these changes should help reduce the time animals spend suffering in traps in Oregon.
For more information on the regulations, go here and scroll down to "Exhibit I." To see the comments we submitted, go here.
Thank you again for helping us advocate for animals in Oregon!