The Legacy of a Law—Remembering Hunter
By Jane Singleton

Janice Reid does not want to go back to the Lake Luzerne, New York trail where her 14-month old black Labrador Retriever named Hunter lost his life. She shared her thoughts with us in a gentle but determined voice, “[to go back to the trail] I have to re-live the horrible events of the day .....And that is just too unbearable right now.” Hunter died the day prior to Thanksgiving in a body-gripping trap set about 35-feet off the trail that he and his family hiked. This was the same trail the Reids walked almost daily with their Labs this past summer.

“They were never in harm’s way and we never saw any other people,” Janice said. “They really just love to run up and down the path.” This time was different and without any warning of the danger they were approaching.

“We were walking, and then we hear a yelp,” said her husband, Alex. “I turned around…and I knew something was up; they never yelp.” At that point they saw Hunter bolt out of the woods with his head caught in a pyramid-shaped trap.

The trap identified as a 330-Conibear is mainly used to catch raccoons and fishers and is a body-gripping spring-loaded trap. At the present time while trapping is legal on public state land, there is no law requiring any posting of warnings on trails that traps may be present. However even some trappers agree the placement of the trap that killed Hunter was irresponsible and it was actually an illegal trap as it did not have any identifying tag of the trapper who placed it.

No one was nearby to help Janice and Alex pry Hunter from the trap. In the hysteria that followed Hunter’s yelping Alex had to tackle Hunter in order to try to release him from the trap any way he could. But he and Janice could not budge the trap; in about five minutes, Hunter was dead. “It is not just a matter of not knowing how to open the trap that choked Hunter to death,” Janice said. “The first person (a hunter) we saw after Hunter died could not get the trap off even with my husband’s help.”

The Reids took Hunter home. They placed him in the front seat of their car and covered him with Alex’s jacket. Janice rode in the back seat, holding Samantha. Once at home, Janice recalled, “Alex was too devastated to remove the trap.” And the Reid’s did not have the tools to do so, so they called on the help of a good neighbor who had a hacksaw to cut the trap off of Hunter’s head.

The trail where Hunter died is about a five-minute drive from the Reid’s home, a small summer cottage. Because their home is close to the river and the road, the Reids didn’t have room for Hunter and Samantha to run and play without fear of being killed by a car. “When we first moved to Lake Luzerne, we asked different people who live there where they take their pets to run and play,” Janice said. “The trail we used is on wooded public land owned by the state.”

She continued, “How they loved to run and play in the woods. Yet ninety-nine percent of the time, they would always run within our view. We trained them to return when we called or blew our whistle, as they were rewarded with treats. The Reids didn’t even know trapping was allowed in the state and most of their friends they’ve shared their story didn’t know either.

Sam and Hunter were inseparable. They cuddled and played and sang to each other—melodies I now wished I had taped.” Alex describes Hunter as a definite “mama’s boy.” At seven weeks of age, Hunter had emergency surgery to correct twisted intestines. “After he slept on my chest for a week following the surgery,” Janice said, “Hunter and I had a very special bond. He would follow me everywhere—gently sneak into bed and curl-up next to me. He leaves a void that will never be totally filled.”

Since the November 22 incident, Janice and Alex have received more than 200 e-mails and calls from people who have also lost pets to traps and others who want to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Most of the mail was kind and caring, but some of it was rude and accusing. Janice hasn’t yet answered all the mail. Instead, she is struggling to stay focused on positive outcomes that can result from Hunter’s death. “I can’t have Hunter’s death be in vain,” Janice said. “Posting signs in public areas where trapping is allowed is not the perfect solution, but it is the first step.”

And the Reids are asking for All Labs’ readers and customers to help them in their climb up the legislative ladder. They hope Hunter’s legacy will be a law that requires warning signs in areas open to trapping, so more pets are not lost to wildlife traps. “Ninety-nine percent of the e-mails we received were from people from New York who did not know that they could expect to encounter legal traps on public state land,” Janice said.

Proposed laws that require the posting of signs at trail heads warning hikers of animal traps nearby are now on the docket of the New York State Legislature to be presented for vote this month, January 2007. In the past, according to New York Senator Betty Little, similar bills have been voted down. “People have to know that there is a way to change the law. It is vital that everyone contact representatives of the New York State Senate and Assembly,” Janice said.

The bill now in the Assembly, Bill A11464, would prohibit the use of body-gripping traps within 100 feet of a public highway, public road, home or apartment, playground, day care facility, church, athletic field, and bike or hiking trail.

The bill in the Senate, Bill S07917, in addition to posting signs at trailheads, seeks to revoke trapping licenses for two years for trappers caught not labeling their traps.

A phone call to New York Senator Betty Little’s staff confirmed that out-of-state e-mails, letters, or phone calls are welcomed, appropriate, and do carry weight. “Many people live in New York for a month or two and in another state for the remainder of the year. And people from all over America visit New York. We want New York to be a welcoming and safe place for all.”

Peter Drago of the Office of the Attorney General, New York, noted that changes to the law must be approved by both Houses of the State Legislature and signed by the Governor. He suggested individuals contact their Senate and Assembly representatives.

Support Hunter’s Legacy

All of us at All Labs are behind the Reids and we hope you will join us in making the world a safer place for all our pets. Let us not have Hunter’s death be in vain, rather, let us help the Reids leave a legacy for Hunter, Samantha, for all dogs that want and deserve the freedom to run and play.

We have included a link to the picture of Hunter caught in the trap, however we want to point out the graphic nature of these images. It was after I saw these images that I knew All Labs had to do a tribute to Hunter and do whatever we could to keep any and all companion animals safe from this threat. I implore you to call and write your legislators.

Web sites listing the names of all representatives and their contact info make it relatively easy to let your voice be heard. Many representatives give e-mail addresses as well as physical addresses and phone numbers.
The ASPCA has a webpage that can help you find your legislator.

To contact New York Assembly Representatives, go to www.assembly.state.ny.us and follow links to individual web sites. For New York Senate Representatives, go to
www.senate.state.ny.us

Title of Representative Address of Representative Re: Bill # Dear Representative ________________: State that you are writing as a constituent and express your concern about the problem. Explain the problem that you are concerned about in a concise and factual manner. Talk about the bill and what it would do (or if there is no bill pending, respectfully request that your representative introduce one). Thank your representative and respectfully request a response. Sincerely, Your name and address.

Thanks to NEWS10-TV in Albany, NY, for their support of this feature.From the Web Site of the Humane Society of the United States

City and State Trapping Bans

Traps and snares, especially the archaic steel-jaw leghold trap, have been so publicly maligned in the United States that many believe they have been banned nationwide. Far from it.

Although the number of active trappers and the number of animals who fall victim to these inhumane devices have declined, the United States remains one of the top—and also one of the only—trapping nations in the world. Unfortunately, the leghold trap is still the most commonly used trap in the United States, despite the reported 74% of Americans who want this method banned (according a poll by the Caravan Opinion Research Corporation in October 1996).

State Trapping Bans

Washington (2000 ballot initiative)—Citizens voted in favor (55%) of banning the use of leghold traps, other body-gripping traps, and snares for recreation and commerce in fur. In May 2003, the governor vetoed a rollback of the ban.

California (1998 ballot initiative)—Voters supported (57%) Proposition 4, which banned the use of leghold traps, other body-gripping traps, and snares for recreation and commerce in fur.

Massachusetts (1996 ballot initiative)—Voters passed (64%) The Wildlife Protection Act, banning the use of leghold traps, other body-gripping traps, and snares for capturing fur-bearing animals.

Colorado (1992 ballot initiative)—Citizens voted in favor (52%) of a constitutional amendment banning the use of leghold, other body-griping traps and snares.

Arizona (1992 ballot initiative)—Voters (58%) enacted a ban on the use of leghold traps, other body-gripping traps, and snares on public land—which makes up 80% of the state.

New Jersey (1986 legislation)—The New Jersey legislature banned both possession and use of leghold traps, making it the most restrictive of the leghold trap bans.

Rhode Island (1977 legislation)—Rhode Island legislators banned the use of the leghold trap to capture any animal.

Florida (1974 regulation)—The Florida Fish and Game Commission enacted a regulation prohibiting the use of any steel or leghold trap where wildlife might be found.

City Trapping Bans

Columbia, Maryland (2003 city ordinance)—The city council unanimously voted to ban leghold traps.

Nashua, New Hampshire (1994 city ordinance)—The city council passed a ban on the use of leghold traps and other body-gripping traps and snares.

Two Harbors, Minnesota (1990 city ordinance)—The city council voted to ban the leghold trap throughout most of the city.

St. Paul, Minnesota (1985 city ordinance)—The city council unanimously voted to ban all lethal trapping and the sale of all lethal traps.

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