Humane trapping is every trapper’s responsibility. It ensures that the taking of furbearers is conducted with the least amount of stress to the target animal. All trappers have an ethical and legal responsibility to select the most humane and efficient method possible to capture furbearers.
Newfoundland and Labrador has had regulated humane trapping standards since 1985. Requirements for locking neck snares, prohibition against the use of serrated or tooth-edged traps, and drowner set requirements for aquatic species are just a few examples of humane trap standards. However, to ensure that our wild-caught furs could continue to be sold on the European markets, Canada, along with Russia and the European Union (EU) signed the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS). The Agreement sets performance standards for traps used in the harvest and control of 19 furbearer species. Eight (8) of these species exist in our province. These species are beaver, ermine (weasel), coyote, lynx, marten, muskrat, otter, and wolf. The Agreement does not apply to mink, fox or squirrel.
AIHTS Advisories
- Leghold restraining traps include the modified versions (padded, laminated or offset) and the conventional steel-jawed leghold traps. The use of all unmodified leghold restraining traps is prohibited on land except for taking fox. Modified traps may continue to be used on land for taking wolf and coyote, however only certified and approved leghold restraining traps may be used for lynx as outlined in Table 1b. When setting a drowner set for aquatic species, modified or conventional steel-jawed traps are permitted.
- There are no changes associated with neck snares.
- Killing traps are generally referred to as the conibear body-gripping trap. In Newfoundland and Labrador, only killing traps that meet AIHTS require- ments and are certified are permitted for trapping beaver, muskrat, otter, weasel and marten. Sufficient numbers of killing traps have not yet been certified for wolf or coyote. Until then, trappers may continue to use traps currently permitted by provincial legislation for those species.
- Trappers should note that some traps, while not yet required in legislation, have already been certified by species and should consider this when purchasing new traps.
- For further information on the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standard’s Certified Traps, check here.
- To see a list of traps currently certified for Newfoundland and Labrador check the Fur Bearing Animals and Coyote Trapping and Shooting Order, Newfoundland and Labrador, check here.