Plan would ban trapping with half-mile of residences

RENO (AP) - A recommendation to ban animal trapping within a half-mile of homes in areas of Nevada's two most populated counties will be considered next month by the state Wildlife Commission.

A committee is offering the proposal as a way to ease conflicts between trappers and residents caused by pets being snared in urban areas.

"It should have been done long ago," said Amie Ruckman, whose dog, Gretchen, was caught by a trap set near a south Reno park in January and nearly died.

"It was so terrifying," Ruckman said. "And it was so unnecessary."

A law passed by the 2011 Legislature requires the Wildlife Commission to adopt trapping regulations this year. The governor-appointed panel is attempting to do so while preserving the right to trap in rural areas and the ability of pest control professionals to do their jobs.

It's been a difficult process, said David McNinch, the Reno resident representing conservation interests on the commission and chairman of the committee establishing trap regulations.

"This is a very emotional issue. It means a lot to a lot of different folks," McNinch said.

The latest proposal would ban trapping within a half-mile - 880 yards - of residences in congested areas of Washoe and Clark counties but still allow trapping on privately owned property.

On the advice of state attorneys, the commission is not considering rules to require registration of traps to identify who owns them or to shorten from 96 hours to 24 hours the amount of time trappers are required to check their traps.

Joel Blakeslee, president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said his group still maintains that the proper distance to prohibit trapping is within 1,000 feet of homes in urban areas, not the half mile or 1,000 yards discussed under two different proposals.

Still, Blakeslee said, the clock is ticking toward the deadline to have regulations on the books by the year's end and avoid having the issue resolved by the 2013 Legislature.

"The problem is we're running out of time," Blakeslee said. "We have enough time to do this but not a whole lot of extra."

The current proposal is similar to one trappers and those pushing for regulations agreed upon in early 2011. That plan was ultimately rejected by the Wildlife Commission, but three new members have joined the commission since that time.

The plan as currently proposed represents a "baby step toward our goals," Trish Swain, founder of TrailSafe, said in a message to members last week. The nonprofit organization was established in 2007, after dogs were caught in bobcat traps in the Galena area, a situation leading to the adoption of regulations banning traps near hiking trails.

"Any protection we can get in congested areas is good, and this starts to provide that," Swain said.

Ruckman said she doesn't think the proposal goes far enough, and hopes future debate will lead to more changes, like trap registration and requiring more frequent visits by trappers to ensure animals aren't suffering.

"If the pressure continues, I think we'll end up with a real decent set of regulations," Ruckman said.