Support H.R. 3710,The "Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act"
National Wildlife Refuges, as the name implies, should be spaces reserved for wildlife to be safe.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claims that trapping is allowed on Wildlife Refuges for purposes of protecting migratory birds and threatened and endangered species. The truth is that these inhumane body-gripping traps are mostly used for the purposes of collecting animal pelts for commercialized fur use, as well as for sport and recreation.
Further, these traps cannot discriminate against which animals are trapped, and so threatened and endangered species, such as the bald eagle, are often victims of these traps. This negates the entire purpose of having a protected sanctuary for wildlife.
H.R. 3710, the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act, sponsored by Representative Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), proposes to ban all body-gripping traps from being used on National Wildlife Refuges: snare, Conibear, and steeljaw leghold traps.
H.R. 3710 would make it illegal to trap wildlife on any refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It would ensure the viability of these animals in the wild and allow for threatened and endangered species to have a safe haven where they can continue to live and proliferate without threat to them, or their young.
We the undersigned wish to voice our strong support for H.R. 3710, the bill to ban trapping on National Wildlife Refuges.
National Wildlife Refuges, as the name implies, should be spaces reserved for wildlife to be safe.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claims that trapping is allowed on Wildlife Refuges for purposes of protecting migratory birds and threatened and endangered species. The truth is that these inhumane body-gripping traps are mostly used for the purposes of collecting animal pelts for commercialized fur use, as well as for sport and recreation.
Further, these traps cannot discriminate against which animals are trapped, and so threatened and endangered species, such as the bald eagle, are often victims of these traps. This negates the entire purpose of having a protected sanctuary for wildlife.
H.R. 3710 would make it illegal to trap wildlife on any refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It would ensure the viability of these animals in the wild and allow for threatened and endangered species to have a safe haven where they can continue to live and proliferate without threat to them, or their young.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and adding your voice and support to passing H.R. 3710.
