Agenda - 10-05-1999 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 5, 1999 SUBJECT: To Hear a Report on Banning Inhumane Animal Traps DEPARTMENT: Health ATTACHMENT(S): Letter from Animal Protection Society to Health Director Excerpt from 1998-99 NC Wildlife Regulations Digest Report from APS Ad -Hoc Committee Action Agenda Item No. 10=Q PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary L. Summers, Health Director TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - - eat. 2411 Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 968 -4501 Durham 688 -7331 Mebane 227 -2031 PURPOSE: To hear a report on inhumane traps for animals and to consider a possible ordinance revision. BACKGROUND: Steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, conibear traps, snares, and other traps which cause excessive suffering by design are considered inhumane. Such traps include those that catch or hold an animal through gripping, injuring, piercing, or severing any body part, or that attempt to kill by drowning. Such traps are inhumane by definition and are dangerous to humans and pets. Furthermore, the vast majority of animals caught and injured in such traps are not the animals the trapper was seeking to catch. When the animal control ordinance was first adopted in the 1980's there were concerns that banning leghold traps would affect the income of trappers. According to Ms. Sanford, Orange County currently has three trappers that trap on a "for hire" basis, and she does not think this would be a major concern, estimating a loss of approximately $300 of revenue. The Board of Health reviewed the information at its August meeting and supports a revision of the ordinance to include a ban on inhumane traps for animals. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATON(S): The Manager recommends that the Board hear the report and provide direction on proceeding with a revision of the ordinance.