Trapping in Dane County Parks: Action Needed Tonight

A letter and call to action for tonight – trapping in county parks?

First a letter from Rick Marolt

Dear County Executive Parisi and members of the Dane County Parks Commission,

I understand that Dane County can receive $162,000 from the DNR Stewardship Fund to offset half the costs of the purchase of 25 acres next to McCarthy County Park, but only if trapping is allowed on the land.

Please withdraw the application for the funds and do not allow trapping on the land.

Imagine that the state had money available for economic development but, to receive the money, the recipients had to agree to discriminate against minorities. Would the proponents of economic development tout the number of jobs that would be created? Would they say that the trade was fair because the benefits (to certain people) outweighed the costs (to certain others)?

Let us hope not. Let us hope that we would recognize a terrible bribe for what it is: a way to benefit some people at the expense of others. Let us hope that we would consider this bribe unethical and reject it.

The current situation is similar in structure but far worse in consequences. Few people will benefit from trapping, and those benefits will come at the cost of great suffering and the deaths of others.

Justifying a decision on the utilitarian basis of costs and benefits makes us sound wise and pragmatic. But if one group gets all the benefits and another group pays very high costs, we are not dealing with utilitarianism, but exploitation of a weak minority by a powerful majority. And that’s exactly what is going on here.

Preserving habitats in order to cause suffering and death to their inhabitants is perverse. If we respect the inanimate land, we ought to respect the living creatures who depend on it too.

Sometimes we perceive only two options when making a decision: either/or, yes/no. We fail to see other options. If you see only an option to accept the money and allow trapping and an option to reject the money (and not buy as much land in the future because Stewardship funds would not be available), please consider options such as these:

* Ask the DNR or state legislature to remove the trapping requirement from Stewardship funds.

* Establish a new mechanism for citizens to fund land purchases such as a check-off box on state income tax returns.

* Ask the citizens on a referendum if they want funding of land purchases dependent on trapping and hunting rights.

Thank you for your consideration.

And the call to action:

Speak Out Against Trapping in Dane County Parks  (http://allanimalsblog.org)                            

Wednesday, February 8, 5:15 pm, Room 357
City County Building
201 Martin Luther King Blvd, Madison, WI

The County Parks Department has written a “Limited Access Trapping Permit” and will ask the County Parks Commission to approve this first-ever county-approved recreational trapping plan.
See the permit application here.
The adoption of this plan will set a terrible precedent, potentially opening many Dane County parks to trapping, and guaranteeing that the County will continue to apply for DNR-administered Stewardship grants for land acquisition even though they will be required to provide recreational trapping opportunities.
Take action:
1. Attend the meeting. Tell the Commissioners that opening Dane County Parks to trapping isn’t worth $162,000.
2. If you can’t attend, please email County Executive Joe Parisi, parisi@countyofdane.com and the Commissioners here: park-commission@co.dane.wi.us

or call them and voice your opposition to recreational trapping in Dane County Parks.

Dane County Supervisors on the Parks Commission are: Kyle Richmond, David Ripp, Robin Schmidt, Carousel Bayrd, Melissa Sargent and Patrick Downing richmond.kyle@countyofdane.com, ripp.david@countyofdane.com,

schmidt.robin@countyofdane.com, bayrd@countyofdane.com, sargent@countyofdane.com, downing@countyofdane.com
Background: In 2011, Dane County purchased 25 acres adjacent to McCarthy County Park for $325,000. The County owns the new parcel. The park is 245 acres, including the new 25-acre parcel.
The County applied for a state DNR-administered Stewardship grant to offset the cost and has been tentatively awarded half the purchase price, $162,000.
In order to receive the Stewardship grant, the County is required by the DNR to provide recreational trapping opportunities on the new 25-acre parcel. Except in very special rare circumstances, all lands bought with Stewardship grants are required to be open to trapping.
Traps are indiscriminate. They can catch and kill any animal who steps on one or sticks their nose in one. They are very cruel; they can leave an animal with broken bones, lacerations, and in pain and fear until the trapper eventually checks the trap and kills them.
Trapping is a pastime of the tiniest minority; opening Dane County Parks to trapping appeases the most extreme fringe of so-called outdoorsmen; trapping is inhumane, has no redeeming value, and should not be allowed to become an accepted and promoted use of our public lands.
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“Animals Have Rights” on WYOU will be airing the 27 minute documentary “Cull of the Wild”, with testimony from wildlife officers, wildlife biologists and public officials, such as US Rep Peter DeFazio& former US Sen Bob Smith and Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Dr Nedim Buyukmihci talking about the unnecessary suffering. This will be followed by “Victims of Vanity”, a 6 min documentary of undercover footage of the real suffering of these innocent animals in traps.

WARNING* The footage is disturbing, but if its too difficult to watch, why would we allow this cruelty here in Dane County? Watch this on www.wyou.org and Cable 95 and Digital 991 tonight at midnight and Thurs at 10 pm- 11:30.

Links also to both documentaries: “Cull of the Wild” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2021958934739088041#

and to Born Free USA’s “Victims of Vanity” http://www.bornfreeusa.org/a10a_victims.php (then click on “trapping investigation footage”)

Dr Nedim Buyukmihci, who speaks in “Cull of the Wild-the Truth About Trapping”) sent this letter to the County Park Commissioners & to County Executive Joe Parisi:

http://www.madisonmonkeys.com/doc_barn/Buyukmihci_letter_Dane_County_trapping.pdf

The Humane Society US sent this: http://www.madisonmonkeys.com/doc_barn/hsus_trapping_dane_co_8-11.pdf

If you are a resident of Dane County & haven’t already signed this petition at the Farmer’s Market or on line, you can sign here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/notrapping/

Please share this email with others, and ask them also to come to the hearing this Wed and speak or sign in opposition to trapping in Dane County.