Support California
SB 1480

Act to amend the California Fish and Game code relating to trapping

Sign our petition below to show your support for this important legislation.

Current law allows pest control and nuisance wildlife trappers to use cruel and inhumane methods of trapping and euthanizing animals and doesn't prevent the orphaning of babies left behind when a lactating female is trapped and killed. There is no enforcement of licensing requirements for trappers, or requirement to inform consumers of current laws and regulations regarding trapping. This bill would amend the code to account for all these things, and provides a funding source for enforcement. Please sign our petition below to show your support!

Petition

Please Support SB 1480 to Amend the Fish and Game Code and Bring Humane Treatment to Urban Wildlife

Senator Ellen M. Corbett
State Capitol, Room 313
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:(916) 651-4010
Fax: (916) 327-2433

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Dear Senator Corbett:

As a supporter of WildCare and a person who cares about wildlife in California, I am writing to applaud your introduction of California Senate Bill 1480. Your proposed legislation, if passed by our legislature and enforced by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), will make a significant difference in the lives of urban wildlife and will also protect consumers from unscrupulous trappers.

Nuisance wildlife control operators (NWCOs) can and do charge a lot of money to remove damaging wildlife from private properties. Although licensing is technically required by state law, many NWCOs are unlicensed and the consumer currently has no way of determining if a trapper is licensed or not. This law would include a list of licensed trappers on the DFG website which would be an excellent resource.

Licensed trappers are aware of California rules and regulations put in place to prevent cruel and inhumane treatment of animals. Most consumers, however are not aware of these restrictions, and even licensed trappers can disregard them. Requiring that trappers provide consumers with a written contract that contains a summary of state trapping laws will help consumers protect themselves from illegal trapping practices.

While these regulations will help me as a consumer, I support this bill primarily because it provides much-needed protections for wildlife. Requiring trappers to take specified steps to prevent orphaning dependent young means helpless babies will no longer suffer and die slowly because their mother has been trapped and killed.

Prohibiting trappers from using the most heinous methods of killing wildlife will prevent horrible cruelty to animals. There is no reason why these wildlife control operators shouldn't be held to a high standard of practicing humane euthanasia.

Restricting the use of kill-type traps to reduce harm and death to non-targeted animals including domestic family pets will make our neighborhoods safer.

I am also glad that this bill will ensure trapping license fees collected by the DFG are appropriately used and sufficiently cover program costs. It's one thing to establish laws, but quite another to enforce them, and providing funding for these measures will enhance their effectiveness.

I commend you for taking interest in urban wildlife-- animals that are being abused by individuals and often ignored by the State of California. I am grateful for your efforts to impose responsible standards in California's Nuisance Wildlife Control Industry.

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