(SitNews) - Pet owners living adjacent to or recreating on public lands are reminded that midwinter in Alaska means fur trapping seasons are open and in full swing. Pets running off-leash and not closely supervised risk having their toes pinched – or worse.

When pets do encounter traps or snares, owners must be prepared to act quickly. That’s why the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Trappers Association (ATA) have teamed up to produce a pocket-size pamphlet titled “Trap Safety for Pet Owners.”

The new pocket guide describes the types of traps and snares that may be encountered and provides illustrated instructions on how to free pets swiftly and safely.

Prevention is most important. Trappers should avoid setting traps close to homes and popular trails and trailheads, and follow the “Code of Ethics” in the Alaska Trappers Manual which includes not trapping on private lands without permission. Pet owners are reminded to keep animals leashed and under control and to be aware that traps may be set in areas where they recreate with their animals.

Copies of the “Trap Safety for Pet Owners” guide are available free of charge at ADF&G department offices, or may be downloaded from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game's website.

More information, including video footage featuring trap removal instructions, is found on the department’s website at www.adfg.alaska.gov (see “Sharing the Trails” under the “Trapping” tab), and on the Alaska Trappers Association website at www.alaskatrappers.org.

Trapping is a popular pastime and livelihood throughout Alaska. More than 36,000 state trapping licenses were sold in in 2012.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

On the Web:

“Trap Safety for Pet Owners”
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/trapping
/pdfs/trap_safety_for_pet_owners.pdf

Source of News: 

ADF&G
www.adfg.alaska.gov

Alaska Trappers Association website at
www.alaskatrappers.org

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