County To Start Trapping Feral Dogs
EL PASO COUNTY- El Paso Countyis moving forward with a plan totrap feral dogs which, at times, have put both people and livestock in danger. Animal rights groupPETA is keeping a close watch on the plan.
County commissioner Amy Lathan says that Tuesday night a constituent in the Ellicott area was nearly killed when feral dogs sent her cattle stampeding. “I’m not going to let this issue come to a point where we have a child mauled, a person mauled or killed, or where we continue to lose livestock.” says Lathan
The county plans to catch feral dogs with box traps. They’re thought to be more humane than leg traps and snares, but lathan fears they’re less effective, and says the county will then use traditional traps and snares.
PETA says that puts domesticated animals in danger and claims it’s unconstitutional. In a letter to El Paso County attorney William Louis,PETA says: “It is not legal to use a method that injures or results in the death of other dogs, cats or wildlife.” and goes on to say “Colorado’s constitution allows counties such as El Paso County to use leghold traps and snares to trap a wild animal who threatens health or human safety, but prohibits a county from using these same methods to trap a wild animal who does not threaten health or human safety”
Louis doesn’t agree, he says”Federal, state, county or municipal departments, for the purpose of protecting human health or safety, are empowered to use trapping methods.”
Lathan adds that if the county moves to traditional traps they’ll be padded, and snares will have catches to prevent strangulation. “I have three children and lots of critters andI love them. I want this to be done as humanely as possible,” she says.
