Silvie Pomicter of Voice of the Animals wrote a letter to inform everyone about how inhumane the trapping of animals is “Fur belongs to the animals” (Feb. 3, TribLIVE). Her organization is basically against all forms of animal use, whether you are wearing a fur or eating a steak.
If she would take the time to do her due diligence, she would find that foothold traps are one of the traps most used by biologists for either removing problem animals or transferring them to new locations.
Trappers, biologists and veterinarians have worked together to develop best management practices. Everywhere that trapping or hunting is banned, a new set of problems develops. This is apparent in New Jersey, which banned bear hunting. Now residents are complaining about all of the bear nuisance problems.
To be fair, I went to the website she listed and found it had six links on how to donate and one on buying merchandise. All of the links on the site worked except the one that listed directors and financials — just a coincidence, I guess.
When it comes down to it, the only groups that are doing anything meaningful are hunting, trapping and fishing organizations. If you want to see for yourself, look up the Pittman-Robertson Act or the Dingell-Johnson Act. The cruelest thing we can do to wildlife is fail to manage it.
Sonny Zampogna
New Kensington