32 years ago, lawmakers banned the use of steel jaw traps because they were rightfully considered cruel and inhumane.
Last year “enclosed foothold traps”, which work the same as steel jaw traps, crushing the paws of raccoons caught in them and causing them excruciating pain, were made legal by the New Jersey Fish and Game council. This organization appointed by the Christie administration, runs the organization with total disrespect for the environment, wildlife and with total lack of elementary human dignity. It services small special interest groups and refuses to represent the voice and character of the people of NJ and common humane practices of the 21st century.
The argument of the NJ Fish and Game council for supporting the brutal killing of thousands of raccoons are plain lies and misrepresentations. Their claim that raccoons transmit rabies is false and unsubstantiated. The last case of rabies contacted by a human in NJ was in 1997, after more than 26 years, when a person was bitten by a bat, not a raccoon. Their second argument is that killing raccoons is important to NJ’s economy ! Studies have shown that during the 2012-2013 raccoon hunting season the pelt value of the over 6,400 raccoons killed was only $96,675. If NJ’s economy is bolstered by $100,000, the state’s economy is in real shambles !!
Please demand NJ legislators and the NJ Fish and Game council, Director David Chanda and Chairman David Burke, to reinstate the ban on using painful and inhumane traps for killing raccoons. Please ask the NJ Fish and Game council to reject killing methods which would put to shame hunting practices in the 17th century. NJ used to be known as the “Garden State”, but Christie’s administration is transforming it into “Killing Fields”.
Please share this petition with all your nature and animal lover friends. Let’s become human again. Thank you !
