AS you probably well know, the DNRs in most states are the Department of Hunting and Trapping in reality although they call themselves the Department of Natural Resources. We are trying to find means to fight for the rights of the citizens who own the animals commonly but don't want to kill them. In Indiana, we are having conflicts in that the DNR wants restrictive and ambiguous rules about the animals that we rehabilitate and love on the pretense that they care about them. On the contrary, they tell exterminators to kill any mother raccoons along with the babies when they are trapped.
We have several goals, some for now and some for later. For now, we would like to get some protection for wildlife under the anti-cruelty statutes. Right now, wildlife is exempt. Trappers catch them in leg hold traps and beat them to death. Those are the lucky ones. A colleague of mine reads the trapper site postings. They brag about how they release the animals, shoot them and "let the dogs finish them off." Nice people, huh?
In any event, if we could work together toward that end I would be very happy. What do you think?
Cilla @ Raccoonwoods
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