MANCHESTER, NH — In Defense of Animals and New Hampshire Citizens Against Recreational Trapping joined in the midst of New Hampshire’s trapping season to support a statewide recreational trapping ban, and express solidarity with the thousands of animals that suffer and die in traps.
Residents honked to show their support to a dozen demonstrators who gathered on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Massabesic Traffic Circle. They appeared alongside NH Citizens Against Recreational Trapping’s new “Stop Recreational Trapping” billboard. The design draws attention to the impact of trapping on wild animal families, picturing a raccoon parent and baby with a speech bubble message to drivers: “Please Don’t Trap Us.” The giant sign will be displayed through January 1.
The majority of New Hampshire residents do not actively trap animals. The state issued only 422 trapping licenses in 2020-2021, a number that has continued to decrease over previous years. In contrast, NH Citizens Against Recreational Trapping has over 3,700 followers on Facebook.
“The public is becoming more aware of how inhumane and inherently cruel leghold and body-gripping traps are,” said Kristina Snyder, a longtime member of NH Citizens Against Recreational Trapping. “Recreational trappers do not make money trapping for fur, and one would be hard-pressed to find people in New Hampshire wearing fur coats in 2022. Traps are indiscriminate, maiming and killing domestic pets, as well as protected species. We want to see an end to recreational trapping and better protection for New Hampshire’s precious wild animals.”
Snyder and NH Citizens Against Recreational Trapping worked to end the antiquated tradition of awarding a fur coat from the New Hampshire Trappers Association to the winner of the Miss New Hampshire pageant. Contest organizers finally discontinued the practice last year.
“We are very pleased at the level of support we are getting both online and also in person at the demonstration,” said Katie Nolan, campaigner at In Defense of Animals. “Trapping is an outdated practice that needs to be ended. It is a cruel and inhumane way to torture animals, and there are so many alternatives to wearing fur.”
In Defense of Animals works to end the abuse of wild animals who are tortured for hunting and trapping, as well as killing contests.
To bring local attention to this situation, In Defense of Animals and NH Citizens Against Recreational Trapping will continue to work on this campaign to end the suffering of countless wild animals.
