Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara, has introduced Assembly Bill 789, which would regulate certain practices used by the nuisance wildlife trapping industry in an effort to protect California wildlife from egregious cruelty.
In California, those employed as private nuisance wildlife control operators (NWCOs) provide trapping services to consumers for a fee under the auspices of damage control. Some practices employed by these trappers are particularly egregious and result in the needless suffering and death of thousands of animals each year.
The bill includes important provisions aimed at protecting domestic pets from being inadvertently killed in Conibear kill traps and outlaws the most heinous methods of animal killing, such as drowning, chest crushing, and injection with toxic chemicals such as nail polish remover.
Williams said these practices must stop.
“These defenseless animals cannot speak for themselves so it is incumbent upon us as compassionate people to speak for them,” he said. “We must as a society take great care to protect our animals and avoid the cruel and inhumane killing of our wildlife.”
The bill will also help protect individuals and families from enduring the emotional and financial strain of dealing with the loss or injury of their dog to the jaws of a kill-trap.
“Each year thousands of animals suffer and die needlessly at the hands of wildlife trappers,” said Monica Engebretson, senior program associate for Born Free USA. “Our organization has worked for many years to address this issue, and we are grateful to Assemblyman Williams for introducing this bill.”
— Josh Molina is a communications specialist for Assemblyman Das Williams.
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