TRAPPING: No news is very bad news

Since some of our dogs have been trapped and killed, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game pacified the public with the understanding there would be a meeting May 15 to correct the likelihood of dogs, children and people being caught in a trap.

They are depending on the public to be apathetic, as usual, and just forget about the problem.

Some of you may not know that it is legal to place, bait and hide traps 5 feet from the center of any trail on public land: That includes English Point, Canfield Trail, Cougar Bay preserve, Mineral Ridge and many more places we walk.

Trapping is part of Idaho’s history, and we should respect the rights of trappers and, hopefully, they respect our concern for our pets and kids.

There will be another meeting in July with much the same outcome, being, things take time and have to go through the proper procedures. In the meantime, we will see no changes for the trapping season this fall, and for who knows how long. You know the old saying, “you can’t fight city hall,” well, we at least need to let them know the smoke and mirrors will not make us forget about the problem until another pet or child is killed.

It is important that we continue to write letters to the editor and commissioner of our local fish and game, Mr. Brad Corkill, at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2885 W. Kathleen, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.

Talk to other people who walk their dogs on public land to be sure they are aware of the problem.

Please make suggestions to mitigate the problem, so the trappers and hikers can work together and we can all utilize our beautiful area. At least use catch and release traps, instead of kill traps, in hiking areas.

Please don’t let this be swept under the rug to wait for another death.

Thank you,

LINDA SORENSEN

Coeur d’Alene