Ballot Or Bust

Trapping

Animal rights activists have no patience for real world wildlife management, especially when they’ve already invested a small fortune in an initiative campaign to ban trapping in Washington.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission this week will consider a new rule that would require trappers to remove animals from body-gripping traps within 24 hours. Current rules require trap checks between 24 and 72 hours, depending on the type of trap, location and species.

But instead of cheering the proposal, Lisa Wathne, a longtime animal rights activist for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society and the Humane Society of the United States, said she is concerned the measure is intended to have an impact on the vote on Initiative 713.

The November ballot measure seeks to ban the use of leg-hold and lethal traps in Washington.

“It just seems a bit too coincidental to think this proposed rule change is not directly in response to the proposed initiative,” she told The Associated Press.

Jamey Layman of the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council in Spokane said Wathne is a master at getting headlines and twisting news for her animal rights causes.

“If she knew that this is the traditional time for the commission to set trapping regulations, this proposal wouldn’t even be an issue,” Layman said. “Wathne isn’t above stretching things to make the public think one way when reality is another.”

The council is among a large contingent of sportsmen, landowners and even municipal water district officials who are coming out to oppose the initiative.

“We have to leave wildlife managers with the tools they need to manage wildlife,” Layman said.

Unfortunately, Layman said, about a million dollars could be spent for and against this initiative.

HSUS alone had sunk $159,000 into the campaign by mid-July just to get the initiative on the ballot.