Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
7 <br />FINDINGS <br />I. LEGHOLD TRAPS <br />A. How they work <br />** *The trap is composed of two metal jaws which slam shut on an animal's limb or <br />any other body part when triggered. <br />The leghold trap, namely the steel jaw trap, is widely used in the United States today. <br />The trap is composed of two metal jaws, powered by high strength springs, which slam shut on <br />an animal's paw when triggered t. Often, some sort of bait is put around the set trap to lure the <br />target animals 2. Each type of leg -hold trap is designed for either a specific species or a certain <br />size of animal, although these restrictions do not prevent non - target animals from becoming <br />trapped 3. <br />B. Individual cruelty <br />** *Animals sustain lacerations, ripped tendons, broken bones and teeth, and even <br />the loss of limbs from leghold traps. <br />Although the initial impact of the steel jaws causes injury to the target animal's limbs, the <br />majority of damage occurs when the animal struggles to break free. A trapped animal will bite <br />the trap, causing severe dental damage and broken teeth. By twisting and pulling in an effort to <br />release itself from the trap's hold, an animal will receive massive lacerations, ripped tendons, and <br />broken bones. <br />* **Leghold traps are not designed to kill trapped animals, but hold them until the <br />trapper returns. In the meantime, these animals are subjected to extensive pain and <br />possible death due to exposure, shock, and predation. <br />"While causing extensive injury, leghold traps are not designed to kill an animal outright, <br />but rather to restrain it until the trapper returns," 4. After struggling for hours with the trap, the <br />animal may succumb to exhaustion, which often leads to death from exposure, frostbite and <br />shock S. Dehydration, blood loss, and predation are other potential causes of death for the <br />trapped animal. "Wring -off' occurs when the trapped animal chews off its confined limb in <br />order to free itself from the leghold trap. Most of these animals probably die from blood loss, <br />infection, and inability to hunt 6. <br />' Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade/leghold.htm (CAFT) <br />'Friends of Animals/snares.htm (FOA) <br />3 Eveland 20 <br />CAFT/leghold.htm <br />i People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals/fswilo2.htm (PETA) <br />6 CAFT /leghold.htm <br />