Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned

In North America, where fur trapping remains an active practice, killing neck snares continue to be used for capturing canids, particularly red fox (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>), coyote (<i>Canis latrans</i>), and gray wolf (<i>Canis lupus</i>). However, over the last 50...

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Main Author: Gilbert Proulx
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2220
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author Gilbert Proulx
author_facet Gilbert Proulx
author_sort Gilbert Proulx
collection DOAJ
description In North America, where fur trapping remains an active practice, killing neck snares continue to be used for capturing canids, particularly red fox (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>), coyote (<i>Canis latrans</i>), and gray wolf (<i>Canis lupus</i>). However, over the last 50 years, scientific studies have consistently demonstrated that killing neck snares are inhumane—meaning that snared animals do not lose consciousness within five minutes and may remain alive for hours—and non-selective, often capturing a wide range of non-target wild and domestic animals. This non-selectivity can contribute to the local extirpation of certain species. The continued use of killing neck snares reflects a disregard for the welfare of wild mammals and poses risks to the sustainability of their populations. This persistence appears to be driven by misinformation, widespread myths, and inadequately implemented international trapping standards. These issues lead to critical questions about what must be performed to prohibit the use of these devices.
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spelling doaj-art-2ec5790fbaa945aaa1cb1634f51581c72025-08-20T03:02:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-07-011515222010.3390/ani15152220Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be BannedGilbert Proulx0Alpha Wildlife Research & Management, 229 Lilac Terrace, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 1W3, CanadaIn North America, where fur trapping remains an active practice, killing neck snares continue to be used for capturing canids, particularly red fox (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>), coyote (<i>Canis latrans</i>), and gray wolf (<i>Canis lupus</i>). However, over the last 50 years, scientific studies have consistently demonstrated that killing neck snares are inhumane—meaning that snared animals do not lose consciousness within five minutes and may remain alive for hours—and non-selective, often capturing a wide range of non-target wild and domestic animals. This non-selectivity can contribute to the local extirpation of certain species. The continued use of killing neck snares reflects a disregard for the welfare of wild mammals and poses risks to the sustainability of their populations. This persistence appears to be driven by misinformation, widespread myths, and inadequately implemented international trapping standards. These issues lead to critical questions about what must be performed to prohibit the use of these devices.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2220animal welfarefur-trappinghumanenessInternational Humane Trapping Standardskilling neck snaresselectivity
spellingShingle Gilbert Proulx
Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
Animals
animal welfare
fur-trapping
humaneness
International Humane Trapping Standards
killing neck snares
selectivity
title Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
title_full Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
title_fullStr Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
title_full_unstemmed Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
title_short Killing Neck Snares Are Inhumane and Non-Selective, and Should Be Banned
title_sort killing neck snares are inhumane and non selective and should be banned
topic animal welfare
fur-trapping
humaneness
International Humane Trapping Standards
killing neck snares
selectivity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2220
work_keys_str_mv AT gilbertproulx killingnecksnaresareinhumaneandnonselectiveandshouldbebanned