The Humane Society of the United States Commends Columbia, Maryland for Banning Use of Leghold Traps

2/14/2003

From: Rachel Querry of The Humane Society of the United States, 301-258-8255 or rquerry@hsus.org

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal protection organization, commends the Columbia Council for unanimously voting to ban the use of leghold traps in its town. Columbia is Maryland's second largest populated town with more than 100,000 residents. The issue came to the Council's table after a resident discovered a fox struggling to free herself from a leghold trap that was set close to the resident's home earlier this month. The trap was one of a few ordered through Columbia management to keep beavers and foxes off a local golf course.

The story quickly spread through the local and regional media. Many residents were outraged that Columbia was using inhumane methods to keep wildlife off of a golf course and the issue quickly made its way to the Columbia Council for action. Before a packed meeting room at the Columbia Association building last night, the 10-member council voted unanimously to ban the use of leghold and other malicious trapping devices on Columbia property.

"The HSUS applauds the Council and the citizens of Columbia for accepting wildlife as part of their community and with great compassion, choosing to pursue humane ways to resolve conflicts with wildlife when they arise," said Dr. John Hadidian, director of The HSUS Urban Wildlife Program. "We have offered the services of The HSUS to the town of Columbia to help them carry out this mission."

Steel-jawed leghold traps are designed to slam shut and hold an animal's leg, often for many hours, before the trapper returns. In their struggles to free themselves animals may tear skin or even break ligaments and bones. Some animals even chew off or wring off their trapped limbs in attempts to free themselves. These traps are indiscriminate and may catch non-target animals including cats and dogs, especially when set close to residences. Furthermore, non-target wildlife are frequently caught and must be destroyed because of injury or as state regulations dictate.

While the town of Columbia has voted to ban leghold traps, the devices are still legal in the rest of Howard County. Surrounding jurisdictions of Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, all ban the use of leghold traps.

The HSUS hopes that the momentum generated on this issue in Columbia will be felt in Annapolis next week when the Maryland House Environmental Matters Committee considers a bill to ban leghold traps in the entire state. That hearing on H.B. 365 is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. A Senate committee hearing on S.B. 272 is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 1:00 p.m. The bill is sponsored by Del. Barbara Frush (D-21) and Sen. Sharon Grosfeld (D-18).

The HSUS is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than seven million members and constituents. The HSUS is dedicated to protecting all animals through legislation, education, investigation, litigation, advocacy and fieldwork. The HSUS has programs protecting wildlife, companion animals, farm animals and animals in research. The HSUS is headquartered in Washington, DC and has 10 regional offices. For more information on wildlife issues, visit The HSUS on the Web at http://www.hsus.org.