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		<title>Valdez dog dies in snare trap</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/valdez-dog-dies-in-snare-trap/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 21:40:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NM Department of Game and Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Snare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap/Snare Incident Report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Regulations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waste]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=5010</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>By Stephanie Gates/For the Taos News A Valdez couple were devastated to find their beloved husky, whom some in the area referred to as &#8220;the Mayor of Valdez,” dead in a wire trap off Broken Arrow Road in early June. The dog, named Zuni, went missing June 3 at about 3:30 a.m. during a routine [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/valdez-dog-dies-in-snare-trap/">Valdez dog dies in snare trap</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-5013" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d74e3e0.image_.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="500" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d74e3e0.image_.jpg 345w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d74e3e0.image_-207x300.jpg 207w" sizes="(max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px" /><strong>By Stephanie Gates/For the Taos News</strong></p>
<p>A Valdez couple were devastated to find their beloved husky, whom some in the area referred to as &#8220;the Mayor of Valdez,” dead in a wire trap off Broken Arrow Road in early June.</p>
<p>The dog, named Zuni, went missing June 3 at about 3:30 a.m. during a routine bathroom trip outside.</p>
<p>This time, however, she didn&#8217;t come back inside right away. The dog’s owners figured she’d been spooked by an early morning thunderstorm.</p>
<p>On June 5, a neighbor, Tom Garcia, found the dog dead, tangled in an unmarked wire trap and fencing, as he was driving to work.</p>
<p>The incident is a reminder that in rural New Mexico unleashed pets can run afoul of traps legally set on private land to protect livestock from predators. Like many parts of Taos County, Valdez is a checkerboard of non-agricultural residential properties and land that families have ranched or farmed for generations.</p>
<p>Conservation officers with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish investigated the incident the same day it was reported and determined the property owner who set the trap was within his rights, according to Game and Fish regulations.</p>
<p>“The incident occurred on private land not owned by the owner of the dog,” said Darren Vaughan, communications director for Game and Fish. “Officers found no violations.”</p>
<p>Tony Valdez, co-owner of the property, said he set the traps as a deterrent, hoping dogs would learn not to come on his property, where he keeps livestock. Ranchers are wary of conflict, for example, between livestock and dogs — as well as wild predators like mountain lions and bear. In 2023, a bear killed dozens of sheep belonging to several ranchers in Arroyo Seco and El Salto.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5018" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d6de979.image_.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="500" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d6de979.image_.jpg 750w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d6de979.image_-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 750px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>According to the Game and Fish investigation report, the department “contacted Tony Valdez over the phone and learned that Mr. Valdez set the snares on the property for feral dogs in the area that have been attacking the cattle. This has been an ongoing issue with the feral dogs.&#8221;</p>
<p>“My motive is just a deterrent,” Valdez told the Taos News. “Those traps won’t kill a dog; they aren’t a true snare or a true trap. It’s a homemade bending wire deterrent. It’s possible but it’s not likely.” After learning of Zuni’s death, Valdez said he would set different traps.</p>
<p>The corner of Isaac Gonzalez’s property is about 10 feet from the fence line where the traps were left. Like many neighbors, he knew Zuni well.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I heard her last dying breaths,” Gonzalez said. “I didn&#8217;t know what it was, because the people at the bottom have so many animals. It sounded like a tropical bird or something. I&#8217;ve never heard anything like that. I walked towards the back, and I didn&#8217;t hear it anymore.”</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5015" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d726e9c.image_.jpg" alt="" width="667" height="500" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d726e9c.image_.jpg 667w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d726e9c.image_-480x360.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 667px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>When she was found, Zuni was caught so tightly in two snare traps and wire fencing that she had likely lost the ability to make any noise. One snare wrapped so fast around her hind leg it nearly reached the bone, and another around her neck appears to have strangled her. As she struggled, the wire tightened around her to a degree that her owners, Matt Gresham and Amy Zalta-Gresham, buried the dog with it.</p>
<p>“This feels as if we lost our baby — not to mention this could have happened to anyone’s beloved fur baby or even an unassuming child roaming in the neighborhood, as they’ve done freely in Valdez for generations,” Zalta-Gresham said.</p>
<p>“There are much safer traps that do not intend to kill, and we as a community would be grateful and help sponsor such traps, before it comes to the death of another member of our family,” she added. “This was cruel and inhumane.”</p>
<p>Neighbors who asked to remain anonymous said they removed at least seven other wire traps along the fence line. According to them, at least two other domestic dogs have been caught in snares in that spot along the pond. Both survived.</p>
<p>“It’s disheartening to think that it&#8217;s so close to my house,” Gonzalez said. “My dog, or another dog — or a child, or anyone — could potentially be a victim. The fact that it’s in a residential area blows my mind.”</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-5014 size-full alignright" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d73b366.image_.jpg" alt="" width="375" height="500" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d73b366.image_.jpg 375w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/686ee6d73b366.image_-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><strong>Proper use of traps</strong></p>
<p>New Mexico’s trapping regulations are intended to limit animal cruelty; such as checking the trap every 24 hours, leaving identification on the trap, and not setting them too close to water sources. However, these rules do not apply when the trapper intends to protect livestock on private property.</p>
<p>To keep companion animals safe, Animal Protection New Mexico recommends working with local animal control or law enforcement officers to trap targeted species, and “utilizing a non-lethal cage trap instead, to address damage being caused by loose dogs in a humane manner.”</p>
<p>“Animals don’t know when they are crossing from public land to private property, and traps and snares don’t discriminate between targeted and non-targeted animals,” said Stacy Sutton Kerby, APNM chief government affairs officer. “While New Mexico has taken the correct step in banning traps, poisons, and snares on public land, APNM believes strong regulations and restrictions should apply across any piece of land where people and animals traverse. Furthermore, lethal traps and snares should never be used to capture or kill dogs.”</p>
<p>Game and Fish recommends residents follow the animal control ordinance regarding dogs at large (including unleashed animals) and for livestock owners to follow the laws regarding livestock protection.</p>
<p><strong>&#8216;The Mayor of Valdez&#8217;</strong></p>
<p>Like many dogs in the Valdez area, Zuni was known and loved by many; neighbors called her the Mayor of Valdez. She rode on the mayordomo’s truck on ditch cleaning day and visited Sheila Rey often for a 5 p.m. bone with other dogs. Other neighbors spoke about her chatty nature.</p>
<p>“Zuni had been coming to my house for years,” Rey said. “She was a sweetheart, extremely vocal. She was a people person, very friendly. Loved to be hugged, loved to be petted; and she loved her little treats I would give her.</p>
<p>“She was just a beautiful soul,” Rey added. “She didn&#8217;t deserve to die like that.”</p>
<p>Zalta-Gresham hopes Zuni’s death will create change, making residential areas and the many neighborhoods with a mix of agricultural and residential  properties safer for everyone.</p>
<p>“She was a beautiful soul in the valley of Valdez, as well as Taos Ski Valley, as her journeys brought joy to so many on a daily basis,&#8221; Zalta-Gresham said. &#8220;Her life was robbed, cut too short, but her memory has made her a martyr for change. We will do what it takes to remember her, and not let a savage act like this happen again.”</p>
<p>“Ordinances can and should be changed to stop poaching to kill in residential areas, for the sake of humanity and the so so many of us grieving for our Zuni girl,&#8221; Zalta-Gresham added. &#8220;She can’t be brought back but hopefully she can save lives. No unknowing pet or child deserves that fate.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.taosnews.com/news/animales/valdez-dog-dies-in-snare-trap/article_682fbc34-a703-50b6-9c21-e46befa811ac.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read this article in the Taos News</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/valdez-dog-dies-in-snare-trap/">Valdez dog dies in snare trap</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5010</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trap Incident Report: Dog caught and maimed by suspected snare trap near Rodarte, NM</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/trap-incident-report-dog-caught-and-maimed-by-suspected-snare-trap-near-rodarte-nm/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:13:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap/Snare Incident Report]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4906</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Witness Anaruth had seen dog Rodi on the streets before the incident (with all four legs), and then saw him with the injured and ultimately severed leg around October 27th hanging out across from the mail boxes in Rodarte (see yellow highlighted area in attached map image). Area Rodi was in was surrounded by private [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/trap-incident-report-dog-caught-and-maimed-by-suspected-snare-trap-near-rodarte-nm/">Trap Incident Report: Dog caught and maimed by suspected snare trap near Rodarte, NM</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-4925" style="margin-bottom: 20px;" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-05-640.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" />Witness Anaruth had seen dog Rodi on the streets before the incident (with all four legs), and then saw him with the injured and ultimately severed leg around October 27th hanging out across from the mail boxes in Rodarte (see yellow highlighted area in attached map image). Area Rodi was in was surrounded by private land, but Carson National Forest is also close by, as is some Tribal land.</p>
<p>Dog (later named &#8220;Rodi&#8221;) hanging out across from the mail boxes in Rodarte with a severly injured front left leg: bones are sticking out. Front left leg dangling, hanging by a thread. Rodi wouldn’t let anyone near. Rodi was trapped by Conrad Mahafee of CMM Lost Pet Reovery and Humane Trapping by Nov. 5 and by that time the dog lost the lower part of his leg. Anaruth saw the dog before Conrad did. Rodi was sent to vet, had major surgery, lost his left shoulder too. Suspected illegal snare trap. The trap that may have caused the injury was not recovered and nobody would be able to say definitively if it was placed on public land illegally. Dog was fostered by Anaruth and named Rodi. Rodi was later adopted by a person from Santa Fe.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4914" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rodarte-Map-Where-Dog-Trapped-480x1039-1.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="866" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rodarte-Map-Where-Dog-Trapped-480x1039-1.jpg 480w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rodarte-Map-Where-Dog-Trapped-480x1039-1-139x300.jpg 139w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rodarte-Map-Where-Dog-Trapped-480x1039-1-473x1024.jpg 473w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4909" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-02-640x1427-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1427" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-02-640x1427-1.jpg 640w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-02-640x1427-1-480x1070.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 640px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>\<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4910" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-04-640x1427-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1427" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-04-640x1427-1.jpg 640w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-04-640x1427-1-480x1070.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 640px, 100vw" /></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4911" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-06-640x1427-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1427" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-06-640x1427-1.jpg 640w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-06-640x1427-1-480x1070.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 640px, 100vw" /></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4913" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-01-640x1427-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1427" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-01-640x1427-1.jpg 640w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-01-640x1427-1-480x1070.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 640px, 100vw" /></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4912" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-03-540x960-1.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="960" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-03-540x960-1.jpg 540w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/dog-injured-leg-03-540x960-1-480x853.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 540px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/trap-incident-report-dog-caught-and-maimed-by-suspected-snare-trap-near-rodarte-nm/">Trap Incident Report: Dog caught and maimed by suspected snare trap near Rodarte, NM</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4906</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dog survives brink of death run-in with potentially illegal snare</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/dog-survives-brink-of-death-run-in-with-potentially-illegal-snare/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Apr 2023 22:09:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NM Department of Game and Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Banned on New Mexico Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping is Torture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Regulations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4728</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>ESPAÑOLA, N.M. — Española Humane workers never know what’s going to come through their doors, but Wednesday brought an unusually rare case. “Almost unrecognizable as a dog,” said Mattie Allen, director of communications for Española Humane. “It’s pretty shocking to see a dog come in that is clearly strangulated.” Rio Arriba County Animal Control officers brought [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/dog-survives-brink-of-death-run-in-with-potentially-illegal-snare/">Dog survives brink of death run-in with potentially illegal snare</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>ESPAÑOLA, N.M. — Española Humane workers never know what’s going to come through their doors, but Wednesday brought an unusually rare case.</p>
<p>“Almost unrecognizable as a dog,” said Mattie Allen, director of communications for Española Humane. “It’s pretty shocking to see a dog come in that is clearly strangulated.”</p>
<p>Rio Arriba County Animal Control officers brought in a seven-month-old puppy with a severely swollen head and an undeniable snare around his neck. The puppy was having a hard time breathing.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w3.mp.lura.live/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=eyJtIjoiQU5WIiwidiI6IjUxNzA2NjQiLCJhbnZhY2siOiJZVmRua0FYcFl4ZEo4czl4THhVZWVTT1c5VjlBTGxKOSIsInNoYXJlTGluayI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtvYi5jb20vbmV3LW1leGljby9kb2ctc3Vydml2ZXMtcnVuLWluLXdpdGgtcG90ZW50aWFsbHktaWxsZWdhbC1zbmFyZS8iLCJwbHVnaW5zIjp7ImRmcCI6eyJhZFRhZ1VybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vcHViYWRzLmcuZG91YmxlY2xpY2submV0L2dhbXBhZC9hZHM%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" width="960" height="540" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"><span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start">﻿</span></iframe></p>
<p>A good Samaritan called officers when they saw the dog running just north of Española.</p>
<p>“Fortunately, for this dog, he was able to actually pull the cable from whatever it was attached to and break himself free,” said Allen.</p>
<p>A vet team was able to sedate the dog and cut off the snare.</p>
<p>Two days later, the little guy, temporarily known as Muffin, is looking good as new.</p>
<p>But the incident raises questions about New Mexico’s trapping laws.</p>
<p>“The problem with these snares is that they’re indiscriminate. When you set a snare like that you can trap anything it does not discriminate what type of living being is getting strangled by this thing,” said Allen.</p>
<p>Roxy’s law went into effect last April in New Mexico, making it illegal to use traps, snares, or poisons to capture, hurt, or kill an animal on public lands. It doesn’t apply to private land.</p>
<p>Officers don’t know where exactly Muffin got caught, but advocates say they hope all property owners think twice about snares.</p>
<p>“I do hope that people are not setting these snares to trap dogs,” said Allen.  “It could be any type of wildlife, it could be a cat, it could be your family’s dog, it could be a kid. And it will go around a head and a neck, a foot, a hand, a paw, it doesn’t discriminate.”</p>
<p>Española Humane is taking suggestions for Muffin’s permanent name on its social media pages.</p>
<p>He’s getting neutered and up-to-date on shots and will be up for adoption soon.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/dog-survives-run-in-with-potentially-illegal-snare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Read this article on KOB.com</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/dog-survives-brink-of-death-run-in-with-potentially-illegal-snare/">Dog survives brink of death run-in with potentially illegal snare</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4728</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>&#8216;He was very close to dying&#8217;: Dog owner calls for Quebec ban on leg hold traps</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/he-was-very-close-to-dying-dog-owner-calls-for-quebec-ban-on-leg-hold-traps/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2023 20:26:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4716</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>After his beloved dog Che&#8217;s snout was caught in a leg hold trap, Montrealer Frederic Berard started a campaign urging Quebec to heavily restrict or even ban their use. &#8220;Che was having a walk as always at my chalet, and he got trapped,&#8221; said the constitutional lawyer. &#8220;I would say he was very close to [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/he-was-very-close-to-dying-dog-owner-calls-for-quebec-ban-on-leg-hold-traps/">&#8216;He was very close to dying&#8217;: Dog owner calls for Quebec ban on leg hold traps</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-4724 size-medium" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dogs-injured-in-leg-hold-traps-960x538-1-300x168.jpg" alt="dogs injured in steel jaw leg hold traps" width="300" height="168" />After his beloved dog Che&#8217;s snout was caught in a leg hold trap, Montrealer Frederic Berard started a campaign urging Quebec to heavily restrict or even ban their use.</p>
<p>&#8220;Che was having a walk as always at my chalet, and he got trapped,&#8221; said the constitutional lawyer. &#8220;I would say he was very close to dying because those are instruments to kill an animal, obviously.&#8221;</p>
<p>When Berard posted the account of his dog&#8217;s injury on Facebook, other pet owners began sharing their equally troubling stories.</p>
<p>&#8220;I received so many testimonies mentioning the same story again and again and again, and I realized it&#8217;s not an anecdote, it&#8217;s a phenomenon and we need to regulate that to stop that,&#8221; said Berard. &#8220;In 2023, we&#8217;re better than that in Quebec.&#8221;</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><em>The damage done to animals caught in traps is often severe.</em></h3>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen animals come in with muscle tears through their legs, and we&#8217;ve had to try to suture them back together,&#8221; said animal health technician Alexandra Yaksich. &#8220;We&#8217;ve seen animals come in that have been in these traps for days at a time, so they start to get very serious bacterial infections in their paws and going up their arms, and sometimes the only thing you can do in that case is amputate the arm.&#8221;</p>
<p>Yaksich said the physical damage to the pet is written all over the face of the pet&#8217;s owners.</p>
<p>&#8220;Often, the witnessing of such horrific images, especially when it&#8217;s your own animal, to see muscle exposed, lots of blood, that&#8217;s very traumatizing,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Often we hear from clients that they have dreams about it, and they&#8217;re still thinking about it years after it happened.&#8221;</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/he-was-very-close-to-dying-dog-owner-calls-for-quebec-ban-on-leg-hold-traps-1.6288368" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read this article in CTV News Montreal</a> | <a href="https://www.change.org/p/boycottons-sail-canac-et-latulippe-qui-vendent-des-pi%C3%A8ges" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sign the Petition on Change.org</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/he-was-very-close-to-dying-dog-owner-calls-for-quebec-ban-on-leg-hold-traps/">&#8216;He was very close to dying&#8217;: Dog owner calls for Quebec ban on leg hold traps</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4716</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>In a win for animals, California’s ban on fur officially takes effect</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/in-a-win-for-animals-californias-ban-on-fur-officially-takes-effect/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2023 19:32:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Banned Fur Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commercial Fur Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fur Free Fashion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fur Trade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legislation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife Ethics]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4703</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Californians can now officially celebrate the end of fur sales in the Golden State. A statewide ban on the sale of new animal fur products went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, making California the first state in the U.S. to implement such a ban. Its citizens have waited more than three years for the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/in-a-win-for-animals-californias-ban-on-fur-officially-takes-effect/">In a win for animals, California’s ban on fur officially takes effect</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_4704" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4704" class="size-medium wp-image-4704" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/white-fox-pup-in-cage-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-4704" class="wp-caption-text">Fox cub born to die in a fur farm cage.</p></div>
<p>Californians can now officially celebrate the end of fur sales in the Golden State. A statewide ban on the sale of new animal fur products went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, making California the first state in the U.S. to implement such a ban. Its citizens have waited more than three years for the new law to take effect after legislators passed AB 44, sponsored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman. The law, which makes it illegal to manufacture or sell a new animal fur product in California both through brick-and-mortar and online sales, included a phase-in period, giving retailers time to adjust and shift their inventory to fur-free products. It also allows for the continued sale of used animal fur products sold at nonprofit thrift stores, secondhand stores and pawn shops.</p>
<p>California’s ban on the sale of fur products is expected to make a massive dent in the fur industry. <a href="https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2017/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-44.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal fur sales data</a> shows that nearly 25% of all fur product sales in the U.S. occur in California. The new law helps end the suffering of millions of animals either born to die on fur farms or caught in cruel traps in the wild, just so their coats can be used to create luxury goods like hats and loafers.</p>
<p>Each year, more than 100 million animals, such as mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas, are raised and killed on fur farms. While most fur sold in the U.S. comes from operations in other countries, primarily China and Europe, fur farms do still exist in some U.S. states. For instance, Wisconsin, Utah, Idaho, Washington and Oregon still allow the farming of animals for their fur. Much of this fur is sent overseas to be made into garments.</p>
<p>Animals kept at these facilities live in some of the cruelest conditions imaginable. These wild animals are typically held captive in small wire cages and are unable to fulfill natural behaviors like swimming, digging and running. They remain largely unprotected by laws in the U.S. and overseas, such as mandatory inspections and humane slaughter laws, and they are often electrocuted, gassed or bludgeoned to death so that their pelts are not damaged. In some instances, animals may not die from these methods and are skinned while still alive.</p>
<p>As unbearable as it is to think of this kind of intense and pointless suffering, we’re witnessing real progress toward relegating this brutality to the history books. Communities are taking it upon themselves to help put an end to the unconscionable cruelty that is inherent to the fur industry. Grassroots advocates in the U.S. and across the globe are stepping up to pass policies that end the sale of fur products. Before the passage of California’s ban on the sale of fur products, four municipalities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood) passed local ordinances banning these products, paving the way for statewide legislation. Many other communities from coast to coast have followed suit, and global leaders are taking notice.</p>
<p>Internationally, more than 20 countries have passed laws to limit or outright ban fur farming and, in 2021, <a href="https://blog.humanesociety.org/2021/06/now-is-the-time-for-countries-across-the-world-to-ban-fur.html?credit=blog_post_100620_id11702" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-stamped="true">Israel became the first country to prohibit the sale of fur products</a>. Now, European citizens are gathering signatures in support of a “<a href="https://www.hsi.org/news-media/act-now-fur-free-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fur-Free Europe” European Citizens’ Initiative</a> asking for a ban on fur farming and placing fur-farmed products on the European marketplace. Although the petition has already gathered the necessary 1 million signatures needed by May 2023 for the European Commission to issue a formal response, it remains open to collect additional signatures. <a href="https://www.hsi.org/news-media/act-now-fur-free-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I encourage citizens of the European Union to sign it</a>.</p>
<p>Also, at the corporate level, companies continue to drop animal fur from their product lines, with several policies going into effect to align with California’s fur ban. Canada Goose, Kering, Saks Fifth Avenue, Zegna Group, Rudsak, Mytheresa and Moose Knuckles all pledged to go fur-free by the end of 2022, and Neiman Marcus by March 2023. While only a few companies still sell animal fur, one of the last major holdouts is the corporate conglomerate LVMH (parent company for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Loro Piana and Fendi). That this conglomerate still sells fur has made it the target of persistent global outreach from animal welfare advocates calling on the corporation to ban fur sales once and for all.</p>
<p>We should absolutely celebrate California banning fur sales and other recent wins in our fight against fur, but there is still much work to be done, and you can help. If you are interested on working toward a fur sales bans in your area, check out our <a href="https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/furfree-hsus-toolkit-0920-digital.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ordinance toolkit</a>, which provides an easy guide for taking action in your own community. You can also find plenty of additional information and resources on our <a href="https://www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/going-fur-free?credit=blog_post_010323_id13265" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-stamped="true">Going Fur-Free</a> webpage.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blog.humanesociety.org/2023/01/in-a-win-for-animals-californias-ban-on-fur-officially-takes-effect.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Read this article on the Humane Society of the United States blog</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/in-a-win-for-animals-californias-ban-on-fur-officially-takes-effect/">In a win for animals, California’s ban on fur officially takes effect</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4703</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Bye-Bye, Trapping on Public Land in New Mexico</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/bye-bye-trapping-on-public-land-in-new-mexico/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2023 20:06:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ban Traps on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coyote]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NM State Game Commission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Banned on New Mexico Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Regulations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife Management]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4697</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mary Katherine Ray helped outlaw traps in her state Adapted from an interview by Lindsey Botts January 1, 2023 A few years after moving to a remote area of southern New Mexico, I saw a Sierra Club ad in the local paper. I was a longtime member and thought, &#8220;That&#8217;s amazing that a Sierra Club group [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/bye-bye-trapping-on-public-land-in-new-mexico/">Bye-Bye, Trapping on Public Land in New Mexico</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 class="sub-title"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4698" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SMWI22-Change-Maker-Mary-Katherine-Ray-WB-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" />Mary Katherine Ray helped outlaw traps in her state</h2>
<p class="author prefix">Adapted from an interview by <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/authors/lindsey-botts">Lindsey Botts</a></p>
<p class="published-date">January 1, 2023</p>
<p>A few years after moving to a remote area of southern New Mexico, I saw a Sierra Club ad in the local paper. I was a longtime member and thought, &#8220;That&#8217;s amazing that a Sierra Club group is forming in this rural area!&#8221; I joined it and made new friends, but it wasn&#8217;t until 2003 that I really became active as a leader.</p>
<p>That year, I was hiking on a winter morning on public land near my home with my two dogs. Suddenly, one of the dogs started pulling on his leash. At the spot he wanted to investigate, there was a hidden steel-jaw trap. It leapt out of the sand when I inadvertently triggered it and slammed shut on air. The dogs and I weren&#8217;t hurt, but that moment cleaved my life in two: before trapping and after trapping.</p>
<p>The injustice—that a trapper could legally put me in this dangerous situation and harm my dog—was unconscionable. I shared my story with a Sierra Club friend and mentor when I got home. She said that she had also recently run into a trap on an outing she was leading: A participant&#8217;s dog had gotten caught, and it ruined the entire excursion. We were furious. Placing people in harm&#8217;s way was wrong, to say nothing of subjecting wildlife to this cruelty. That&#8217;s when I began to actively advocate for a trapping ban on public lands.</p>
<p>We started with the New Mexico Game Commission. After several years of us trying—organizing and generating more opposition to traps—they remained unmoved. We felt ridiculed and belittled. It didn&#8217;t matter that every year more people submitted comments opposing traps on public land—100, 1,000, then 12,000 written comments didn&#8217;t make a difference. While leading an outing myself in 2011, our group came upon a coyote struggling and badly injured in a trap. I vowed to use her picture to publicize the brutality of trapping. She is memorialized as the logo of TrapFreeNM.org, the coalition of conservation and animal protection groups I helped bring together. I never could have done this work alone.</p>
<p>By 2013, our coalition realized that the game commission would not help us, and we needed the legislature to change the law. The resulting bill&#8217;s first sponsor was a legislator representing a tourist destination where people enjoy recreating on public lands and where a constituent not only had two dogs that got caught in traps but was also injured herself.</p>
<p>The bill didn&#8217;t pass when it was first introduced, but we kept at it. Our state legislature meets only every other year to consider nonbudgetary bills. With every iteration, more people, including legislators, became aware of the injustice of trapping.</p>
<p>Each session brought more public support, more media coverage, and more yes votes. In 2021, the bill passed the state senate floor. We knew it would be close in the house of representatives. After several hours of debate on the house floor, the tally was tied. A bill does not pass on a tie vote. The next two years and all the work ahead flashed before my eyes. But at the last moment, another yes vote was cast by a legislator. One of their constituents had a dog who was killed by a snare in 2018. The bill became known as Roxy&#8217;s Law in the dog&#8217;s memory. The law went to the governor&#8217;s desk. With her signature, 17 years after I started my advocacy, traps and poisons were finally outlawed on New Mexico public lands.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s unbelievable that in the 21st century, the archaic and cruel practice of trapping is still allowed. Our opponents ignored us, then laughed at us, then fought us. But finally we, the public, and wildlife won.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Read this article at <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/4-november-december/changemaker/bye-bye-trapping-public-land-new-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sierra</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/bye-bye-trapping-on-public-land-in-new-mexico/">Bye-Bye, Trapping on Public Land in New Mexico</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4697</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Roxy’s anti-trapping legacy greater than botched trial</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/roxys-anti-trapping-legacy-greater-than-botched-trial/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:03:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ban Traps on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NM Department of Game and Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NM State Game Commission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Banned on New Mexico Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4509</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>BY JESSICA JOHNSON / CHIEF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICER, ANIMAL PROTECTION NEW MEXICO AND ANIMAL PROTECTION VOTERS &#124; TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH, 2021 AT 12:02AM Roxy – the beloved dog killed by a neck snare in 2018 while hiking with her family – may not have received justice in the recent trial of the trapper accused of [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/roxys-anti-trapping-legacy-greater-than-botched-trial/">Roxy’s anti-trapping legacy greater than botched trial</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>BY JESSICA JOHNSON / CHIEF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICER, ANIMAL PROTECTION NEW MEXICO AND ANIMAL PROTECTION VOTERS | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH, 2021 AT 12:02AM</p>
<p>Roxy – the beloved dog killed by a neck snare in 2018 while hiking with her family – may not have received justice in the recent trial of the trapper accused of setting that snare. But she was victorious in a far greater way. Her face and name became emblematic of the campaign to stop the recreational and destructive use of traps, snares and poisons on New Mexico’s public lands. And, in 2021, that work finally paid off when “Roxy’s Law” was signed into law.</p>
<p>Roxy’s death appalled and alarmed many New Mexicans. It was her story that topped off years of work by Animal Protection New Mexico and other animal advocates to ban traps, snares and poisons on public lands. But that campaign started decades ago – long before Roxy’s death.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4415 size-full" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/roxy-560x297-2.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="297" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/roxy-560x297-2.jpg 560w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/roxy-560x297-2-480x255.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 560px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>Advocates spent many years in the 2000s urging action by the state Game Commission, but to no avail. Turning to the New Mexico Legislature for a solution, the first bill introduced to ban traps, snares and poisons in New Mexico was in 2013.</p>
<p>When Roxy died in 2018, there had already been numerous well-publicized trapping horror stories in the news. And, after she died, dozens more stories were shared: more dogs and cats caught in leg-hold traps and strangled in neck snares, and more people outdoors discovering wildlife victims, as well: injured and emaciated foxes and bobcats, decaying bodies stuck in forgotten traps, and piles of skinned carcasses left by trappers after they took all the fur they could sell for profit.</p>
<p>By the time “Roxy’s Law” finally passed and was signed into law in spring of 2021, reports of roughly 150 terrifying incidents, illegal trapping citations and endangered species captured on public land had been collected. New Mexicans were saying “Enough!” And the Legislature agreed.</p>
<p>The public should still beware: The prohibition on traps, snares and poisons on public lands doesn’t take effect until April 1, 2022. We are in the midst of the last ever trapping season on public lands. Trapping season spans from Nov. 1 through March 31 – though some species can be trapped year-round.</p>
<p>Roxy was killed over a Thanksgiving weekend, so this holiday season, here are some things to know:</p>
<p>• Until April 2022, traps, snares and poisons are currently legal on public lands, and anyone on public lands may be endangered by them.</p>
<p>• Though it doesn’t guarantee safety for you or your companion animals, you can reduce your risk by staying on marked trails and keeping your animals on leash. This is often better for wildlife and habitat, as well.</p>
<p>• If you, a member of your party, or your animal is caught or injured by a trap, snare or poison, please report that incident online at <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/report-trap-incident/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>trapfreenm.org</strong></a> or call the Animal Protection New Mexico cruelty hotline at <strong><a href="tel:18775486263">1-877-5-HUMANE</a></strong> (<a href="tel:18775486263"><strong>1-877-548-6263</strong></a>), and you can get help on relaying information to law enforcement, if applicable.</p>
<p>The terrible outcome in Roxy’s case – botched by investigators’ failure to properly handle evidence – means no one will be held accountable for setting the neck snare that killed her. Our hearts go out to the Clark family, as no one should have to watch their animal die so tragically before their eyes. But the law that is Roxy’s namesake will go on to protect thousands of animals from unspeakable suffering every year, a legacy much bigger than a single case or trial.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/2450228/roxys.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Read this article in the Albuquerque Journal</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/roxys-anti-trapping-legacy-greater-than-botched-trial/">Roxy’s anti-trapping legacy greater than botched trial</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<title>Not guilty verdict aside, Roxy&#8217;s Law still matters</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/not-guilty-verdict-aside-roxys-law-still-matters/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:56:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2021 Legislative Session]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ban Traps on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Injuries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Banned on New Mexico Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping is Torture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4507</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The trapper accused of killing Roxy, a Northern New Mexico cattle dog who was strangled to death in a snare near Santa Cruz Lake, recently was found not guilty. The verdict was immensely disappointing. It feels like justice slipped through the cracks, alongside the case evidence that was lost. But the way the trial and [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/not-guilty-verdict-aside-roxys-law-still-matters/">Not guilty verdict aside, Roxy&#8217;s Law still matters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The trapper accused of killing Roxy, a Northern New Mexico cattle dog who was strangled to death in a snare near Santa Cruz Lake, recently was found not guilty. The verdict was immensely disappointing. It feels like justice slipped through the cracks, alongside the case evidence that was lost.</p>
<p>But the way the trial and verdict has been framed is a disservice to the effort to ban cruel traps, snares and poisons across New Mexico’s public lands.</p>
<p>Several media outlets described Roxy’s tragic death as the impetus for passage of the Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act, which came to be called “Roxy’s Law.” It is true that Roxy became emblematic of the indiscriminate killing and danger that traps pose on public lands. However, the effort to ban traps from New Mexico public lands had been in the making for years before Roxy was killed.</p>
<p>It was the outcome of tens of thousands of New Mexicans coming to terms with the problems inherent with trapping and working hard to create a new paradigm for wildlife and hikers, hunters, campers and other users of public lands in the Land of Enchantment.</p>
<p>Taking Marty Cordova’s claim that he is a “scapegoat” at face value disregards all of the other pets who have been killed or injured in traps in New Mexico: Ophie, Murphy, Buster, Maxi, Strawberry, Ceniza, Tooli, Nelli, Cruzer, Ivy, Mahlia, Jessie, Joe, Sabina, Kutchin, Jetta, Zero, Toby, Pepper, Bo, Lulu, Ben Funbeast, Sammy, Jaky, Wiley, Beau, (another) Roxy, Ted, Bailey, Pearl, Noodles, Kekoa, Fibel, Ranger, Hopi, Jesse, Nina, Griz, Robin, Greta, Honey and many others unnamed or unknown.</p>
<p>Doing so also fails to account for at least 150,000 native animals that have been killed by trappers since 2008.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Cordova’s assertion — “Trapping is not bad; it’s a means of conservation, just like hunting deer or fishing” — is false. Trapping is not conservation. It is not like hunting deer or fishing. Trapping is cruel, dangerous and indiscriminate. It drains fragile ecosystems of the native species that keep things in balance. It turns wildlife into a commodity to be slaughtered, skinned, tanned and sold. It is deeply unpopular — New Mexicans oppose trapping by a wide margin.</p>
<p>Trapping was not on trial in the case surrounding Roxy’s death. Cordova was. And that seems to have been lost in the coverage. Cordova got his day in court, as is his right. But he was also given a platform from which to espouse the virtues of trapping and make it seem as though him being found not guilty — due at least in part to evidence being lost and photographs being deleted — means that trapping is redeemed.</p>
<p>The New Mexico lawmakers who decided earlier this year to end cruel trapping and poisoning of wildlife on public lands did so after hearing from activists (including sportsmen), scientists and trapping victims for well over a decade. The Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act will go into effect in April. It will make the outdoors safer and more accessible to visitors, prevent native animals from suffering and dying from these devices on approximately 32 million acres of public lands, and bring New Mexico’s wildlife policies closer into alignment with the best available science and modern ethics of coexistence.</p>
<p>New Mexico citizens and lawmakers have chosen to relegate public lands trapping and poisoning to the history books for myriad good and valid reasons. Roxy is one of those reasons, and her death became a rallying cry for the cause. Cordova’s not guilty verdict does not undo the progress we’ve made.</p>
<p><em>Chris Smith is the Southwest Wildlife Advocate for WildEarth Guardians.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/not-guilty-verdict-aside-roxys-law-still-matters/article_e306d8d4-4c9c-11ec-997c-1b2b0f6a52dd.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read this article in the Santa Fe New Mexican</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/not-guilty-verdict-aside-roxys-law-still-matters/">Not guilty verdict aside, Roxy&#8217;s Law still matters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4507</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Tradition is no excuse for abuse</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/tradition-is-no-excuse-for-abuse/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Nov 2021 20:08:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2021 Legislative Session]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping Banned on New Mexico Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trapping on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4514</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Traps and snares are lethal devices that pose a real threat to people, pets and wildlife on public lands. That fact was made tragically clear when a dog named Roxy was strangled to death in a snare at a popular New Mexico recreation area in 2018. Senate Bill 32, “Roxy’s Law,” was signed into law [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/tradition-is-no-excuse-for-abuse/">Tradition is no excuse for abuse</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Traps and snares are lethal devices that pose a real threat to people, pets and wildlife on public lands. That fact was made tragically clear when a dog named Roxy was strangled to death in a snare at a popular New Mexico recreation area in 2018.</p>
<p>Senate Bill 32, “Roxy’s Law,” was signed into law earlier this year and will ban the use of traps and snares on New Mexico public lands beginning April 1. It was the long, hard work of the TrapFree New Mexico coalition, the genuine leadership of courageous state legislators and the governor’s signature that finally turned this tragedy — and countless others like it — into a positive outcome for the people, pets and wildlife of New Mexico.</p>
<p>Roxy’s Law is a victory for basic decency. There is no reason we should tolerate the killing of our dogs or wildlife. Tradition is no excuse for abuse.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/development-cant-overwhelm-traditional-communities/article_3c64fb3e-48c1-11ec-a90a-03274c265f16.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Read this Letter to the Editor in the Santa Fe New Mexican</strong></a></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4803 size-large" src="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/severed-par-in-steel-jaw-trap-960x1307-1-752x1024.jpg" alt="Severed paw in steel jaw trap" width="640" srcset="https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/severed-par-in-steel-jaw-trap-960x1307-1-752x1024.jpg 752w, https://trapfreenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/severed-par-in-steel-jaw-trap-960x1307-1-480x654.jpg 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 752px, 100vw" /></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/tradition-is-no-excuse-for-abuse/">Tradition is no excuse for abuse</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4514</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Trapper acquitted in case that inspired anti-trapping law</title>
		<link>https://trapfreenm.org/trapper-acquitted-in-case-that-inspired-anti-trapping-law/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TrapFree New Mexico]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Nov 2021 19:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2021 Legislative Session]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ban Traps on Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BLM Land]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extreme Animal Cruelty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Trapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Lands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roxy's Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senate Bill 32 (Roxy's Law)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trap Victim Story]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://trapfreenm.org/?p=4501</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Chimayó trapper Marty Cordova was acquitted by a jury this week of 10 counts of illegal trapping, three years after state officials alleged that he set a snare that strangled a dog near Española, his attorney said Thursday. The death of the dog, named Roxy, attracted widespread media attention and led to passage this year [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/trapper-acquitted-in-case-that-inspired-anti-trapping-law/">Trapper acquitted in case that inspired anti-trapping law</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Chimayó trapper Marty Cordova was acquitted by a jury this week of 10 counts of illegal trapping, three years after state officials alleged that he set a snare that strangled a dog near Española, his attorney said Thursday.</p>
<p>The death of the dog, named Roxy, attracted widespread media attention and led to passage this year of a state law – “Roxy’s Law” – that outlaws the use of traps, snares and wildlife poison on public lands in New Mexico.</p>
<p>The 1st Judicial District Court jury found Cordova not guilty of trapping within 25 yards of a road and other violations of state Department of Game and Fish trapping regulations, said Yvonne K. Quintana, Cordova’s attorney.</p>
<p>Problems with evidence, including the failure to collect snares and traps from the field, and the destruction of photographic evidence, contributed to Cordova’s acquittal, Quintana said.</p>
<p>“Mr. Cordova was the one accused, but they really couldn’t identify that he was the one who set the traps,” she said. “That’s one of the required elements of these trapping charges, that the trapper has to land-set the traps.”</p>
<p>Jennifer Padgett Macias, 1st Judicial District chief deputy district attorney, said the federal Bureau of Land Management retained and ultimately destroyed some evidence in connection with its own investigation.</p>
<p>“There was some evidence destroyed as it was in the custody of (BLM) when their case was settled,” Padgett Macias said. Traps in BLM custody “were not turned over to the Department of Game and Fish but were destroyed per their policy when a case is resolved.”</p>
<p>The snare involved in Roxy’s death was destroyed when it was cut off the dog’s body, she said.</p>
<p>The Department of Game and Fish initially charged Cordova with 34 counts of illegal trapping in February 2019, three months after a neck snare strangled the dog near a hiking trail at Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area north of Española.</p>
<p>Roxy, an 8-year-old blue heeler mix, choked to death while her owner, Dave Clark, desperately tried to free her from the snare.</p>
<p>The case drew public attention and prompted lawmakers in 2019 to introduce the Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act, an anti-trapping law dubbed “Roxy’s Law.”</p>
<p>After several failed attempts, the bill was signed into law in April by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham after it passed the House by a single vote, 35-34. The law will take effect April 1, 2022.</p>
<p>Officials with state Game and Fish and BLM set up trail cameras and alleged in court records that they captured images of Cordova in the area where Clark’s dog was snared. Officials also searched his home and allegedly found numerous traps and animal pelts, according to court records.</p>
<p>Quintana alleged in court records that state officials destroyed thousands of photos and made other missteps that made it impossible for Cordova to formulate a defense.</p>
<p>All but 10 of the original charges were dismissed before jurors began deliberations this week, she said.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/2445599/trapper-acquitted-in-case-that-inspired-passage-this-year-of-anti-trapping-law.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read this article in the Albuquerque Journal</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://trapfreenm.org/trapper-acquitted-in-case-that-inspired-anti-trapping-law/">Trapper acquitted in case that inspired anti-trapping law</a> appeared first on <a href="https://trapfreenm.org">TrapFree New Mexico</a>.</p>
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