Update: Sadly, this bill failed to complete the legislative process prior to adjournment.
Bill Description: If passed, this bill would expand existing laws to prohibit the use of leghold traps for recreational trapping statewide. Under existing law, these traps are banned in 5 counties. The exceptions are that, if human health and safety were jeopardized, the traps could be used. They also could be used for research, to abate property damage, and to pretect threatened or endangered species.
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Leghold traps are arbitrary and antiquated. These devices case immense suffering as the animals they capture may die of dehydration, starvation, or predation from other animals if the trapper fails to check the device soon after the animal stumbles into it. Furthermore, these devices are not species-selective. They are indiscriminate and sometimes catch and kill non-target animals, including family cats and dogs and endangered species.