End Cruel Trapping on Wildlife Refuges
With 563 areas designated, the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses an incredible collection of habitats that are home to more than 240 endangered species -- from lynx and wolves to a host of rare and fascinating plants and critters.
But unbelievably, while these refuges should be a safe haven, trapping is still allowed in more than half of these federally protected lands.
Jawed traps continue to slam shut with bone-crushing force. Snares continue to fatally tighten around animals' necks. And many nontarget species are also getting hurt or killed. It's time to confront the painfully obvious: Traps don't belong in refuges.
Take action today -- urge your representative and senators in Congress to step up and cosponsor the Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act -- legislation that would at last end trapping in our wildlife refuges.
Dear [Representative],
I am writing to ask you to cosponsor the Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act (H.R. 2016 or S. 1081). More than half of our nation's wildlife refuges still allow the use of cruel traps such as strangling neck snares and steel-jaw leghold traps, even though these archaic traps indiscriminately injure and kill countless nontarget animals -- including raptors, companion animals and federally protected species.
[Your comment will be added here]
Refuges should be safe havens for wildlife -- hence the name -- and I want to enjoy these areas without fear of stumbling upon a trap or encountering an injured animal languishing in one of these gruesome devices. And most Americans agree: A national Decision Research public opinion poll showed that 79 percent of Americans believe trapping on national wildlife refuges should be prohibited.
Please help make this happen by cosponsoring this important legislation. More than 90 countries have already moved forward with a ban on steel-jaw leghold traps, and it's embarrassing that such cruelty still exists in places we call wildlife "refuges."
Sincerely,
[Your name]
