Over 30,000 people from all around Japan have signed the petition we put forward together with ALIVE (All Life In a Viable Environment) to urge prohibition of the use of leghold traps and snares, which can injure and kill animals indiscriminately, by 2006 revision of Wildlife Protection Law. We obtained a favourable result, and would like to thank everyone who supported us.

The main changes are below:

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

The use of traps in order to capture bears for the purpose of hunting will be banned completely; and in the case of capture permitted by administration, the use of all kinds of traps except the box type will be prohibited.

To prevent bears from getting trapped in snares placed for capturing wild boar or deer, the new regulation states that the diameter of a snare must be 12 cm or less and the wire must be 4 mm or thicker.

This is conclusive and the new regulation will come into effect in April 2007.

See details of revised law

(From ALIVE Homepage)

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

ALIVE Homepage
Ban leghold traps, dangerous and cruel, completely!

　○The petition to demand the complete ban on leghold traps

　○Public opinion demanding a ban on leghold traps and snares

　○Regulations for traps tightened!

This revision of the law is surely a big step forward, but because traps cannot selectively work on certain animals, accidental cases where species other than the intended ones get trapped never cease. Once caught, the animal will suffer agonizing pain, and it’s difficult to release trapped animals unharmed. For this reason, ARK believe that leghold traps and snares should be banned without exception.

We will continue to work towards the complete ban on leghold traps and snares together with ALIVE.