Distributed by the Forum News Service, John Myers' story in the Worthington Globe needs little explanation.
In After trapping death of his favorite hunting dog, man working to change Minnesota laws, Myers reports:
Since 2012, at least 35 Minnesota dogs have been caught and killed — and dozens more injured — in traps aimed at wild animals like bobcat, fox and raccoon.
Bobcat trapping season opens Dec. 19 in Minnesota and John Reynolds is worried about your dog.
“It happens every year. It’s going to happen this year. Someone’s dog, someone’s pet, or their favorite hunting dog, is going to die in a trap,’’ said Reynolds, of Merrifield, in central Minnesota's Crow Wing County. “And it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Reynolds has been working for changes in Minnesota trapping laws since 2011 when his favorite springer spaniel, Penni — the best hunting dog he ever owned —- was killed in a body-grip trap set for a wild animal. Reynolds drew statewide media attention in 2012 and 2013 when he tried to get the state Legislature to change trapping laws to protect dogs. A few minor changes were made at the time and the issue mostly faded from the limelight.
But dogs are still dying in traps each year and Reynolds is still working to prevent it from happening.
“I’m not going to give up,’’ Reynolds said. “They (state lawmakers and trapping groups) keep killing the bills each year and the traps keep killing dogs and I’m going to keep coming back until it changes.”
Ironically Reynolds remains an avid trapper. He’s adamant that he’s not out to ban trapping or even ban body-grip traps, the most deadly for dogs. Instead, he wants state law changed to require the traps be placed several feet above the ground or in other setups where dogs can’t get into them. . . .
Read the rest at the Globe.
Photo: John Reynolds springer spaniel, Penni, was caught and killed in a body grip or Conibear trap in December, 2011. Since then Reynolds, an avid trapper himself, has been on crusade to change state trapping laws to prevent similar dog deaths. (Photo courtesy John Reynolds)
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