rebAL: I'm not so sure this is really an attack. Yes I understand the situation and it is a shame that pets (plural) have been caught in snare traps and killed. It is a shame that stupid people can't read signs and keep their animals on leash as they are supposed to in public areas and those people in particular should not be allowed to raise an issue about the fatality of traps when they can't or won't even read. This isn't the first time an owner has let their pet run loose only to have it caught in a snare, or other trap and killed as a result. I also noted in the cases I have read about that none of the owners were able to control their animals well enough to prevent the animal from doing exactly what the trap wanted them to do - resist to the point of death - when had they been in control of their animal they may have saved it.
However, that being said I have found a number of trappers I have encountered to be incredibly arrogant, hostile, aggressive to the point of violence and exceptionally pushy when it comes to citiots, and the like, walking their dogs. It is as though their attitude is that 'I can trap and too bad for you or your dog if they are stupid enough to get tricked by my bait and die' - same dang attitude that says 'if they are off your front porch during deer season I can shoot them'.
One of my neighbors is EnCon certified to trap and sell pelts. His traps don't kill, by regulation - he has to do that. He has harvested a lot of game and has done more to reduce the coyote population in this area than anyone else I know. But, he makes the shot. The animals are help by the traps, not killed and when he has caught a neighbor's dog he can simply free it, unharmed.
One new neighbor is a former kalifornia transplant via new jersey. Said he didn't know if he could 'accept' trapping or not. I told him he could accept that as fact, or not, but that it was his 'responsibility' to control his animals and when the sign says 'leash', it means ' on leash'. He didn't like the 'responsibility' part.
One benefit to trappers when using the killing traps is that their work is done for them and if they are pushing the limit in areas where humans and pets may encounter traps they can simply turn around and walk away and not claim responsibility. I guess I don't have much use for that kind of trapper - as little as I have for a citiot, but I am not opposed to a law or regulation that says if you're going to trap, use a non-killing trap and finish the job yourself, especially if you are legal.
If you are breaking the law, trapping in areas too close to human activity or human habitation, tough. I'm a little tired of attitudes that say 'because it ain't clear I can do what I want' - that hurts all of us more than it hurts little fluffy when she gets caught in a snare. JMTCW. Mikey.
