Trapping of Fur-Bearing Animals

Position:

"The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) accepts the use of trapping devices that are designed to cause instant death or work on the principle of live capture with minimal pain or injury.  The CVMA acknowledges the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS) for specific fur-bearing species, and encourages the education of trappers in humane trapping practices and the further development of humane traps."

Background:

The conservation and sustainable use of wildlife implies the need to care for the welfare of the animals which are to be captured or killed.  The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has urged IUCN member countries to adopt regulations setting out specific humane trapping practices to ensure that the most humane and selective techniques available are employed in the capture and/or killing of wild animals for research, management, and trapping.  

In evaluating whether a trapping method is humane, the welfare of the trapped animal must be assessed.  Specific, measurable indicators of the welfare of trapped animals (e.g., physiological parameters, degree of injury, behavioural reactions) have not been studied for a variety of species.  The CVMA encourages further scientific studies to determine the humaneness of trapping methods for species trapped in Canada. 

Currently, some provinces and territories allow trappers to leave their traps for up to five days before checking them.  The CVMA recommends that these regulations be reviewed and shorter time limits introduced in order to minimize the duration of potential pain and suffering of trapped animals.

By Autumn 2007 the only traps that may be used legally in Canada, for trapping of fur-bearing species listed in the AIHTS, must be certified through the Canadian Trap Certification Program administered by the provinces and territories. Unfortunately, several species that are currently trapped in Canada are not included: standards should be developed for trapping of fox species, wolverine, and mink.  The CVMA supports the ongoing development and constant refinement of national and international trapping standards.  It is assumed in setting the Standards that traps will be selective, efficient, and in compliance with the relevant requirements for human safety. 

Notwithstanding that the trapping methods must meet requirements for certification, the CVMA encourages continuing improvement of the design and use of traps, in particular to:

1. improve the welfare of animals trapped in restraining traps during the period of restraint;

2. produce rapid onset of unconsciousness and insensibility of animals trapped in killing traps; and

3. minimize the capture of non-target species.

References:

1.  Annexes to the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards, Annex 1, Part 1: The Standards.  Official Journal of the European Communities, L42-47-53. 1998.

2.  Methods for Capturing and/or Killing of Terrestrial or Semi-aquatic Wild Animals, 18th session, General Assembly of the IUCN, Resolution 18.25. 1990.

3.  Traps Meeting Requirements of Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards and Certification Status, Fur Institute of Canada.  Updated July 21, 2004.

(Revised July 2005)