Dec 10, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Endangered Species, Illegal Trapping, Legislation, Mexican wolf, NM Department of Game and Fish, NM State Game Commission, Public Lands, Public Opinion, Public Safety, Trap Injuries, Trapping Incidents Map, Trapping is Torture, Trapping on Public Lands, Trapping Regulations, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Management
In early November, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish formally rejoined the federal Mexican Wolf Recovery Program as a lead agency. The department signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish a framework for...
Nov 26, 2019 | Banned Fur Sales, Bear, Cruelty, Fur Free Fashion, Public Opinion, Uncategorized, Wildlife
She has sat next to Anna Wintour at London Fashion Week and awarded Stella McCartney the Order of the British Empire. Now Queen Elizabeth II is building on her fashion-forward reputation: The 93-year-old monarch will stop buying clothing made with real fur, the...
Nov 18, 2019 | Coyote, Cruelty, Fur Trade, Illegal Trapping, Owl, Trap Injuries, Trapping is Torture, Waste, Wildlife
If you are going to end another life, at least end it mercifully. NASHVILLE — Last week, Walden’s Puddle, a nonprofit wildlife rescue organization in a rural area of Nashville, posted a set of photos of a barred owl caught in the jaws of a leg-hold trap. The first...
Oct 20, 2019 | Bobcat, Coyote, Cruelty, Deer, Fair Chase Hunting, Fox, Illegal Trapping, NM State Game Commission, Public Lands, Public Safety, Trapping on Public Lands, Trapping Regulations, Waste, Wildlife
Albuquerque Journal Guest Column by SUZANNE REED Many of us New Mexicans are – or know – people who “fair chase” hunt on our public lands. Our state Department of Game & Fish (DGF) rules give over 80,000 licensed hunters seasonal opportunities to shoot wildlife...
Oct 17, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Dog, Illegal Trapping, Legislation, Outdoor Recreation Industry, Public Lands, Public Safety, Roxy's Law, Trap Victim Story, Trapping on Public Lands, Waste, Wildlife Management
The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office has dropped more than 30 counts of illegal trapping against a Chimayó man after a Magistrate Court judge found the state Game and Fish Department had failed to serve the man with a search warrant and then failed to save...
Oct 16, 2019 | Cruelty, Deer, Illegal Trapping, Trap Injuries, Trapping is Torture, Waste, Wildlife
Despite a valiant effort by La Cañada Flintridge residents and state wildlife officials to rescue a fawn spotted on Sept. 20 with a trap stuck on its leg, the creature died Saturday after being extricated from the likely illegal device. “It’s been so long this poor...
Oct 13, 2019 | Banned Fur Sales, Commercial Fur Sales, Cruelty, Extreme Animal Cruelty, Fur Trade
California has made history today by becoming the first U.S. State to ban the sale of animal fur. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 44 into law, banning all new fur sales and manufacturing in California. The law, which comes into effect in January 2023, has...
Sep 16, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Economic Analysis, Editorial, NM Department of Game and Fish, NM State Game Commission, Public Lands, Public Opinion, Public Safety, Roxy's Law, Trapping on Public Lands, Wildlife, Wildlife Management
On the face of it, the announcement last month the New Mexico Game and Fish Department is considering banning the use of poison, as well as traps and snares in four high-use areas and at hiking trailheads, sounded good. Because after all, that’s what smoke and mirrors...
Sep 10, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Public Lands, Public Safety, Wildlife
Trapping is cruel: trapped animals endure stress, dehydration, starvation, broken bones, dislocations, predation, and even self-amputation. Trapping is indiscriminate: unlike hunting, traps maim and kill non-target animals. Endangered species and companion animals are...
Feb 26, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Fox, HB 366, M-44 Cyanide Device, Poisons, Roxy's Law
These photos were taken in Torrance County, NM by a wildlife biologist. This gray fox was killed by an M44 sodium cyanide device that is not uncommonly used on both private and public land to “control” carnivores. These devices and a variety of traps are...
Feb 8, 2019 | 2019 Legislative Session, Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Dog, HB 366, Public Lands, Public Opinion, Roxy's Law, Waste, Wildlife Management
After hearing nearly 2½ hours of often passionate public comment from dozens of people both for and against a bill that would make it illegal to trap, snare or poison wildlife on public lands, the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday...
Feb 8, 2019 | 2019 Legislative Session, Cruelty, HB 366, Public Lands, Public Opinion, Roxy's Law, Trap Injuries, Trapping on Public Lands
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – As lawmakers consider banning all animal trappings on public lands, the proposal drew in a huge crowd at the Roundhouse. Critics claim it’s inhumane to wildlife and that both legal and illegal traps are injuring pets, even people....
Feb 8, 2019 | 2019 Legislative Session, Cruelty, Dog, Roxy's Law, Trapping on Public Lands, Wildlife Management
Mary Katherine Ray has seen traps up close. One caught the leg of her dog Greta while they were hiking. “I will never forget the sound of Greta’s screaming,” Ray told a New Mexico legislative committee on Thursday. It was a story lawmakers heard over and over again —...
Jan 14, 2019 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Dog, Trap Injuries, Trapping on Public Lands, Waste
From Argos, A Shelter Dog Rescue January 12 at 8:57 AM “It is with a very heavy heart and many tears that we had to say goodbye to Ranger this morning. Ranger was brought into Argos on 1/10/19 by some very caring and loving folks. This sweet old soul was another...
Dec 2, 2018 | Abuse, Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Dog, Public Lands, Rescue, Trap Injuries, Trapping on Public Lands, Waste
No animal deserves the agony inflicted by steel jaw, leg hold traps. This dog’s story and extreme injuries reiterate the need to ban deadly traps, snares, and poisons from public lands. From Argos, A Shelter Dog Rescue: Kekoa (Courageous One) suffered multiple...
Nov 25, 2018 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Bear, Cougar, Coyote, Cruelty, Endangered Species, NM State Game Commission, Public Lands, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Management
New Mexico’s wildlife is a unique natural asset to be enjoyed by all citizens forever. This is not some wolf-hugger’s fantasy; wildlife as a public trust is deeply rooted in common law and the judicial record of the United States. State wildlife managers are obligated...
Aug 6, 2018 | Coyote, Cruelty, Trapping on Public Lands, Wildlife
TrapFree New Mexico has stickers. Contact us if you would like some to display or distribute.
Aug 1, 2018 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Coyote, Cruelty, Public Lands, Trap Injuries, Trapping on Public Lands, Waste, Wildlife
Coyote paw bones in rusty steel jaw trap. Traps like this are scattered across our public lands, posing a risk to anything with legs that tough the ground.
Jun 27, 2018 | Ban Traps on Public Lands, Cruelty, Dog, Editorial, Endangered Species, Mexican wolf, Public Opinion, Trapping on Public Lands, Wildlife
The public only recently learned that a man intentionally set a leg-hold trap on public land to illegally capture an endangered Mexican wolf in 2015 (“Catron County man pleads guilty to killing Mexican gray wolf,” Albuquerque Journal, May 25). Once captured, still...
Mar 29, 2018 | Cruelty, Dog, Illegal Trapping, Trap Injuries
In March 2018 a dog was found in Las Cruces dragging a steel trap on its paw. This is the X-ray showing broken and misplaced bones. Click here to read the story » ...
