Post by FWS on Aug 30, 2014 22:45:59 GMT -6
Lawsuit filed to stop upcoming Nevada trapping season
Jeff DeLong
Reno Gazette Journal
August 30, 2014
Insisting thousands of animals are suffering needlessly in traps and that Nevada wildlife officials have failed to respond to the problem, two Northern Nevada men have sued in effort to force change and block the coming trapping season.
Mark Smith and Donald Molde filed suit against the Nevada Wildlife Commission Thursday in District Court in Reno, stating that the governor-appointed panel has "failed to carry out its statutory obligations to preserve, protect, manage and restore wildlife" put in harm's way by trapping.
Jeremy Drew, vice chairman of the wildlife commission, said he had not reviewed the suit and could not comment in detail but is "confident in our public process and consideration of our mission." Joel Blakeslee, president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said in his opinion the lawsuit lacks any merit but declined further comment.
The lawsuit's filing follows an Aug. 16 decision by commissioners to keep in place rules requiring trappers to visit their traps once every four days across most of the state – a span the suit said is the longest in the nation except for Montana and Alaska. Trapping critics had sought to significantly shorten that period.
Trappers most frequently are targeting bobcats but "unintended victims of such traps or snares number in the thousands, ranging from pack rats, rabbits, golden eagles and domestic dogs and cats to mountain lions," the lawsuit states.
Further, the suit states the wildlife commission has "placed the convenience of trappers over consideration of a need to protect wildlife and domestic animals from unnecessary harm, injury, suffering and death."
The 2013 Legislature passed a bill requiring the wildlife commission to review trapping regulations, including the 96-hour visitation requirement. A committee reviewed the issue over much of the last year and ultimately recommended keeping the visitation period unchanged across most of Nevada, lowering the span of time trappers are required to check their traps to two days in congested areas of Reno and Las Vegas. Those rules were finalized by the full commission Aug. 16.
"At the end of it all, the commission essentially voted to leave everything unchanged. They basically did nothing," Molde said. The Reno man has pushed to amend Nevada's trapping rules for decades.
"We had no choice but to do this," Molde said.
Smith agreed.
"It's clear that the wildlife commission has been 'captured' by trappers and their sportsmen supporters to the detriment of wildlife and ignoring the concerns of the public about animal well-being and protection," the Incline Village resident said. "Hopefully the court will be receptive to our concerns and help get wildlife and domestic animals the protection so desperately needed."
The suit seeks an order requiring the commission to take action to prevent "grievous and unnecessary suffering" by animals caught in traps, including by shortening the visitation period. It seeks an injunction postponing the trapping season – which begins in October for most fur-bearing animals and in December for bobcats – until needed changes are made.
Citing information collected by the Nevada Department of Wildlife over an eight-year period, the suit says thousands of "non-target species" including pets have been caught in traps. Because that information is based on reports filed by trappers, the suit alleges those numbers are probably the "tip of the iceberg."
Jeff DeLong
Reno Gazette Journal
August 30, 2014
Insisting thousands of animals are suffering needlessly in traps and that Nevada wildlife officials have failed to respond to the problem, two Northern Nevada men have sued in effort to force change and block the coming trapping season.
Mark Smith and Donald Molde filed suit against the Nevada Wildlife Commission Thursday in District Court in Reno, stating that the governor-appointed panel has "failed to carry out its statutory obligations to preserve, protect, manage and restore wildlife" put in harm's way by trapping.
Jeremy Drew, vice chairman of the wildlife commission, said he had not reviewed the suit and could not comment in detail but is "confident in our public process and consideration of our mission." Joel Blakeslee, president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said in his opinion the lawsuit lacks any merit but declined further comment.
The lawsuit's filing follows an Aug. 16 decision by commissioners to keep in place rules requiring trappers to visit their traps once every four days across most of the state – a span the suit said is the longest in the nation except for Montana and Alaska. Trapping critics had sought to significantly shorten that period.
Trappers most frequently are targeting bobcats but "unintended victims of such traps or snares number in the thousands, ranging from pack rats, rabbits, golden eagles and domestic dogs and cats to mountain lions," the lawsuit states.
Further, the suit states the wildlife commission has "placed the convenience of trappers over consideration of a need to protect wildlife and domestic animals from unnecessary harm, injury, suffering and death."
The 2013 Legislature passed a bill requiring the wildlife commission to review trapping regulations, including the 96-hour visitation requirement. A committee reviewed the issue over much of the last year and ultimately recommended keeping the visitation period unchanged across most of Nevada, lowering the span of time trappers are required to check their traps to two days in congested areas of Reno and Las Vegas. Those rules were finalized by the full commission Aug. 16.
"At the end of it all, the commission essentially voted to leave everything unchanged. They basically did nothing," Molde said. The Reno man has pushed to amend Nevada's trapping rules for decades.
"We had no choice but to do this," Molde said.
Smith agreed.
"It's clear that the wildlife commission has been 'captured' by trappers and their sportsmen supporters to the detriment of wildlife and ignoring the concerns of the public about animal well-being and protection," the Incline Village resident said. "Hopefully the court will be receptive to our concerns and help get wildlife and domestic animals the protection so desperately needed."
The suit seeks an order requiring the commission to take action to prevent "grievous and unnecessary suffering" by animals caught in traps, including by shortening the visitation period. It seeks an injunction postponing the trapping season – which begins in October for most fur-bearing animals and in December for bobcats – until needed changes are made.
Citing information collected by the Nevada Department of Wildlife over an eight-year period, the suit says thousands of "non-target species" including pets have been caught in traps. Because that information is based on reports filed by trappers, the suit alleges those numbers are probably the "tip of the iceberg."
