DENVER—Wildlife conservationists have asked a judge to consider an immediate ban on box traps, saying the devices violate the intent of a voter-approved state trapping law.
Amendment 14, approved in 1996, specifically prohibits leg-hold and instant-kill traps, snares and poison. It did allow government agents to trap animals that posed a health or safety threat to humans but limited trapping of “nuisance” animals to 30 days per year.
Months after the amendment passed, the state wildlife commission approved box trapping of bobcats, coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons and badgers, as well as the use of padded leg-hold traps. The box traps are self-closing cages baited with food used to capture animals that are then often killed.
“This is a watershed moment for Amendment 14,” said Susan Morath Horner, the attorney for conservation groups Sinapu and Forest Guardians. “At issue in this case is whether it did or did not sound the death knell to the trapping of Colorado’s wildlife for pelts and trophies.”
Horner argued in a Denver courtroom Monday that the commission undermined the amendment’s intention to ban inhumane trapping.
Tim Monahan, an assistant attorney general, argued that the language of Amendment 14 was intentionally ambiguous and that proponents could have sought to outlaw all trapping but stopped short.
“If such a prohibition had been clearly expressed in words, we wouldn’t be here,” Monahan said. “Clearly, they’re asking the court to create additional prohibitions.”
Denver District Judge Larry Naves asked both sides to submit proposed court rulings by Oct. 19 before he rules on a motion seeking an immediate ban on box traps.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
