O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

With the return of New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Annual Discover Wild NH Day, Voices of Wildlife in NH is holding a fur trapping protest outside the event.

“We are holding this protest on the same day as NH Fish and Game’s annual event because the NH Trappers Association will once again be prominently displayed as though they are providing a needed service,” says James Glover, co-founder of Voices of Wildlife. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”The event will take place in Concord, NH on Saturday, April 16 on the sidewalk at the intersection of Loudon Road and Hazen Drive, from 11:00 to 1 p.m. Anyone interested in taking a stand against fur trapping is welcome.Fur trapping is a brutal hobby that not only causes great suffering but also harms ecosystems by allowing important fur-bearing species to be removed from the landscape without limit. Trappers are free to kill as many of a species as they can manage in the time allowed.According to the New Hampshire Wildlife Coalition (not connected to the protest), “Over the last two decades, the trapping and shooting of furbearers has led to an alarming decline in take of these species…”Fur trapping is a horribly destructive activity that has been banned or severely restricted in 85 countries and 7 states.Adding to the cruelty, trapping devices are non-selective. Experienced trappers may increase their odds of capturing only the targeted animal, but it is beyond debate that non-target capture is a major abuse inflicted on wildlife.In 2012, a dog named Andrew was killed by an illegally set body-crushing conibear trap. While Andrew’s death was widely mourned, countless wild animals routinely endure the same horrible death in these traps.The world is waking up to the unnecessary cruelty of fur trapping as reflected by recent mainstream media coverage in the March 25, 2022, Newsweek magazine. Bludgeoned Raccoons Among Animals Victims of Trappers: ‘Shocking Brutality’.Organizers of NH Fish and Game’s Discover Wild NH Day object to these protests. But until NH Fish and Game no longer sanctions and promotes the brutal hobby of fur trapping, they can expect compassionate citizens to protest the event.Voices of Wildlife in NH (VOW) is a non-profit organization registered with the state of New Hampshire.

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