I am writing to inform people on the cruel practice of trapping. People who trap have to be extremely cold hearted to think that trapping is OK. Also people who agree with this method of killing animals may want to have a good look at how this is done.

First off, trapping has been banned in over 90 countries and 8 states, deemed too cruel to allow it to continue. Trappers however, will tell you that what they are doing is humane, tightly regulated and necessary.

The facts show otherwise, both targeted and non-targeted animals including endangered and domestic animals, including your dogs and cats, are trapped and left for days, causing severe injury, psychological trauma, thirst, hypothermia and predation before being killed, often bludgeoned by the trapper so as not to damage the animal’s pelt.

Trappers are allowed to trap in our national wildlife refuges, so there is no safe place for these animals to go. A national public poll says that Americans are strongly opposed to trapping in the wildlife refuges.

There are many types of traps used. The one used the most is the steel-jaw leg-hold trap, the weight of the animal’s leg on the trap triggers it, causing it to slam shut, causing instant pain (like slamming your hand in a car door).

Most animals frantically pull, trying to free themselves, which causes fractures, amputations, blood loss and tooth and mouth damage from biting on the trap to free themselves. If the animal is able to free itself by ripping off a limb, the trappers call this a "wring off" which means certain death from starvation, gangrene, or attack from other predators. Only 10% of the animals caught are the trappers "target" animals, the rest are what they consider "junk" animals and domestic pets.

In the U.S., there are three to five million animals trapped each year. This does not include the non-target animals. In Michigan, our state gets a D-minus for enforcing trapping regulations; there simply are not enough DNR personnel to oversee the trappers. They are allowed to police themselves.

It's time to get trapping banned in Michigan. There is a petition you can sign at www.ipetitions.com/petition/baninhumaneanimaltrapsinmichigan. Please do it for the animals, stop this barbaric practice. It's time to speak up.

- Diane Schroeder, Britton