CRUELTY IN TRAPPING

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1934, Page 3

CRUELTY IN TRAPPING

METHODS WITH OPOSSUMS.

MORE HUMANE METHOD WANTED. The cruelty that occurs in the trapping of opossums by steel traps was discussed by the council of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society last night, and it was decided to recommend, that a more humane method be adopted. The Department of Internal Affairs had written stating that alterations to the opossum regulations, 1930, were under consideration and asked for suggestions. The secretary, Mr. V. Duff, stated that a man had called at his office complaining of the cruelty resulting in the using of the ordinary trap, which was similar to a rabbit trap. The complainant was of the opinion that these traps should be prohibited. The chairman, Mr. W. H. Moyes, said he had been trapping opossums on Kawau Island with an expert trapper and saplings from the puriri trees had been used for traps. He agreed with what had been reported. At Mount Egmont he had seen traps with live opossums in them, some with their legs, half off. There was no question about it. Mr. Duff said there had been instances of the lower jaw left in the trap and the opossum gone. The position was that trappers had a number of traps which they cleared in the morning and did not go near again until night or next morning. Mr. Moyes: And perhaps not then. Mr. C. L. Rawlinson remarked that opossums could not be poisoned, but it was a much better death than being hanged or hit on the head in the morning after hanging overnight. It was decided to recommend that some more humane method be adopted,