To: White Bear Township Board
Protection from Trapping in White Bear, MN
Deadly traps have been set in our neighborhood open spaces without any warnings or precautions to protect our children or pets. At least one family pet has been killed this trapping season on public land that's surrounded by our homes in White Bear Township and the City of White Bear Lake. We, the undersigned, desire to be protected from these traps!
Why is this important?
This municipal Petition supplements the statewide Petition "Safe Public Lands" (http://signon.org/sign/safe-public-lands).
The practical and scientific literature describes how to effectively trap target species (e.g. raccoons) without endangering people or domestic animals (e.g. without killing people's dogs). This Petition simply asks for trapping regulations that are based on those proven methods--already in use by professionals and other responsible trappers.
Although this petition is formally addressed to White Bear Township, it is also appropriate for other suburban communities. Please feel free to add your signature, even if you're a resident of another community; and please feel free to publicize it in your community.
This Petition has been honored by the City of White Bear Lake, MN, which in January 2013 followed the lead of Shoreview, MN and other model communities by providing the protection that's requested here, while still allowing for necessary, responsible wildlife management.
Unfortunately, this Petition has been rejected by the Board of White Bear Township, MN. On 9/5/2012, the Board adopted an Ordinance that had not even been checked for errors or omissions. It condoned trapping by any legal method anywhere in the Township, regardless of its inappropriateness for certain locations. For example, it allowed lethal trapping even in a residential yard adjacent to an area where people walk their dogs, or where children play. On 5/3/2013, the Board continued to express its satisfaction with the 9/5/2012 Ordinance, even rejecting a proposal by staff to fix its errors and omissions (although staff had taken care to avoid all of the issues that the Board had already rejected: no regulations on private property, and no limitations on recreational trapping).
More information at http://www.ss-slocum.info.
The practical and scientific literature describes how to effectively trap target species (e.g. raccoons) without endangering people or domestic animals (e.g. without killing people's dogs). This Petition simply asks for trapping regulations that are based on those proven methods--already in use by professionals and other responsible trappers.
Although this petition is formally addressed to White Bear Township, it is also appropriate for other suburban communities. Please feel free to add your signature, even if you're a resident of another community; and please feel free to publicize it in your community.
This Petition has been honored by the City of White Bear Lake, MN, which in January 2013 followed the lead of Shoreview, MN and other model communities by providing the protection that's requested here, while still allowing for necessary, responsible wildlife management.
Unfortunately, this Petition has been rejected by the Board of White Bear Township, MN. On 9/5/2012, the Board adopted an Ordinance that had not even been checked for errors or omissions. It condoned trapping by any legal method anywhere in the Township, regardless of its inappropriateness for certain locations. For example, it allowed lethal trapping even in a residential yard adjacent to an area where people walk their dogs, or where children play. On 5/3/2013, the Board continued to express its satisfaction with the 9/5/2012 Ordinance, even rejecting a proposal by staff to fix its errors and omissions (although staff had taken care to avoid all of the issues that the Board had already rejected: no regulations on private property, and no limitations on recreational trapping).
More information at http://www.ss-slocum.info.