New York News Connection

NY Lawmakers Take Up Bill to Allow Snare-Type Animal Traps

Mike Clifford Longman

ALBANY, N.Y. - Animal-rights activists are sounding the alarm about legislation pending in Albany that would end the state's longstanding ban on snare-type animal traps.

Brian Shapiro, New York state director of the Humane Society of the United States, said there is good reason live-restraint, cable-type traps have long been outlawed in the state. He said they don't kill animals outright, but instead subject them to what he called "a cycle of torture."

"An animal can break its teeth chewing on the cable, trying to get out, struggling over and over again in these types of devices," he said, "and we are hoping that Albany lawmakers will do the humane thing."

Bills are pending in both the Assembly and Senate, and Shapiro said his group is urging New Yorkers to let their lawmakers know their views about ending the ban on this type of trap.

Proponents of the measures say the cable traps are inexpensive and work better in colder weather than other types. They believe allowing the traps will help counties such as Westchester deal with the growing number of coyotes in the area.

Shapiro disagreed.

"Legalizing these types of traps is not going to effect the coyote population," he said. "It's going to cause a lot of suffering for other animals."

Shapiro said some in the hunting community also have expressed concerns that the traps are both ineffective and inhumane.

The legislation is online at assembly.state.ny.us.