Letter to the editor: Make New Mexico Trap Free

By MONIQUE BEYERLE
Los Alamos
Please support making New Mexico a trap-free state. It surprises me that this is even an issue considering how cruel these traps are but apparently it is, so please consider my opinions below.
Animals are not robots. They feel pain, fear, hunger, heat, cold. It is cruel to trap an animal and leave it vulnerable to: other wildlife predators, freezing temperatures, hyperthermia, starvation, bleeding to death. Trapping an animal also prevents it from feeding and protecting its young.
I am sure the reason for these traps to exist are due to some wild animals being a nuisance. They are not trying to do so. They are merely seeking food, water and shelter just like we all are in this world.
I have tremendous respect and gratitude to all of New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers and am thankful for as many local products as we can support here. I understand their livelihood may be bothered the most by wildlife and I am thankful for those who deal with this kind of nuisance without being cruel.
Traps affect not only wildlife but they endanger beloved pets, hikers, runners. What if your son, daughter, niece, nephew wandered off trail during a field trip? Is amputation a reasonable punishment? Even if the trap itself did not cause this, the secondary skin infection invariably would.
It is our responsibility as the evolved species to protect our wildlife. New Mexico needs to celebrate the animal species native to the southwest. If we fail to do this we should at least own up to it and change our moniker to The Land that Hobbles Its Wildlife.
And contact the members of the House Ag/Water/Wildlife committee at: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/committee_display.aspx?CommitteeCode=HAWC
So that we can make our lands safer for all.
 
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