Take Action: Stop Fur Trapping In Nevada

Since the shocking video last month of a dog being urged to lunge at a helpless bobcat caught in a trap by a member of a Nevada wildlife advisory board, many new developments have taken place. A petition calling for the board member’s resignation was drafted, prosecution charges may be filed, a news report was filmed and legislation for a ban on fur trapping was proposed.

The appalling video filmed by Tracy Truman, who is a lawyer and vice president of the Nevada Trappers Association, put three woman on a mission to get much stricter regulations on fur trapping in the state and work toward a possible ban.

Gina Greisen of Nevada Voters for Animals and Karen Layne of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society moved quickly to make changes in the southern portion of the state while Trish Swain introduced legislation in the north.

Greisen developed a petition asking the Clark County Commissioners to reconsider Truman’s appointment to the County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife. And she is pressing to have his file reviewed by the District Attorney for possible prosecution.

Greisen said, “We are fighting very hard. We hope this will all lead to stricter guidelines or the ban of fur trapping in Nevada. It is cruel, barbaric and outdated.”

One of the guidelines Greisen would like to see changed is the 96 hour waiting period trappers have to check on an animal that may be caught. The period is too long and some animals die of starvation before anyone comes for them.

Greisen came across this example when she ran into Mike McGrew who served as a Regional Coordinator for the Lincoln County Site Steward Program.

“We were checking this site for a possible vandalism; instead I found this magnificent creature in a trap. The trap had been set in a trail that had been made by game and human traffic as they wandered in and out of the site. I called BLM and explained the situation. I was told trapping was legal in Nevada as long as certain guidelines were met. I countered that the trap had been set in an area where children and pets would be visiting and there was potential for harm. The director agreed and said he would contact the Nevada Department of Wildlife. I gave him the GPS coordinates and was advised to walk away and let law enforcement handle it. It was a VERY hard thing to do after seeing this animal in such distress. I decided to call one of my site stewards who lived closer to the area than I, and he would give me daily reports on the animal. It was reported that the animal was dead after three days,” said McGrew.

Gina Greisen and her team have uncovered many sad stories in their research and discrepancies in the current policies. Please take action and add your name to the petition below to stop fur trapping in Nevada. Because much of Nevada sits on federal land and is enjoyed by people worldwide, all signatures are welcome.

TAKE ACTION: STOP FUR TRAPPING IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY