LETTER: Vote to restrict public trapping

I and my dog Jessie had a terrifying experience with trapping.

I was riding on my four-wheeler with my dog Jessie nearby. I will never forget hearing her blood curdling cries. Thank goodness I was with a friend who knew enough to throw a coat over Jessie’s head, so she wouldn’t bite me as we tried to remove her from the trap.

Together we got her out of the trap. If my friend had not been with me, Jessie could have been killed by predators or chewed off her leg. I called Fish, Wildlife and Parks and reported this incident. The trapper was found and charged with two misdemeanors, and fined for not attaching identification tags to his traps.

There were no charges or fines directly related to Jessie’s suffering or the veterinary bills because there are no laws against trapping pets (or other non-target animals including hunting dogs, or protected and endangered species).

I am 110 percent against trapping. Please vote yes for Initiative 177 against trapping. —Shannon Luikart, Polson