Some months ago, I sent a note to my State Representative, Jim Davnie, concerning the restriction of body grip traps, specifically to protect search dogs. This is a transcript of the correspondence:
Brian,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I was aware of efforts to protect dogs from traps but not on the level of detail you clearly have. I'll discuss this with Rep. John Ward to worked on this issue.
Thanks also for the work you do in SAR. I don't need to tell you how valuable it is to law enforcement and to the families of missing persons.
All the best,
Representative Jim Davnie
District 63A
454 State Office Building
100 Rev. Martin Luther King Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-0173
Dear Jim,
I am a volunteer member of K9 Search Midwest, a non-profit unit dedicated to training K9 search and rescue
(SAR) dog+handler teams (for finding lost people). When needed, we are deployed by law enforcement organizations, or other associated SAR organizations (who were contacted by law enforcement) in the area. Our area search teams can cover a lot of area in a short period of time, so when we train, we need large areas to hide people, then go to find them. Typically we use area parks and other wilderness areas in Central MN. Many times we've been called out in mutual aid to Northern MN or Northern WI for search activities.
Recently, it has come to my attention that the 2012 legislative changes made to body grip trap laws were NOT effective in protecting dogs from being caught and killed in body grip traps. I want you to know that I support changing body grip trap laws further to protect dogs (especially SAR dogs) from being caught and killed in body grip traps and I am asking you to do the same. Many of our SAR dogs are off-lead while searching and it would be devastating to all of us for any of our dogs to be killed, while searching or training, by a trap such as this, with no warning.
Thanks so much for your consideration in this matter.
Brian L Benson
Brian,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I was aware of efforts to protect dogs from traps but not on the level of detail you clearly have. I'll discuss this with Rep. John Ward to worked on this issue.
Thanks also for the work you do in SAR. I don't need to tell you how valuable it is to law enforcement and to the families of missing persons.
All the best,
Representative Jim Davnie
District 63A
454 State Office Building
100 Rev. Martin Luther King Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-0173
Dear Jim,
I am a volunteer member of K9 Search Midwest, a non-profit unit dedicated to training K9 search and rescue
(SAR) dog+handler teams (for finding lost people). When needed, we are deployed by law enforcement organizations, or other associated SAR organizations (who were contacted by law enforcement) in the area. Our area search teams can cover a lot of area in a short period of time, so when we train, we need large areas to hide people, then go to find them. Typically we use area parks and other wilderness areas in Central MN. Many times we've been called out in mutual aid to Northern MN or Northern WI for search activities.
Recently, it has come to my attention that the 2012 legislative changes made to body grip trap laws were NOT effective in protecting dogs from being caught and killed in body grip traps. I want you to know that I support changing body grip trap laws further to protect dogs (especially SAR dogs) from being caught and killed in body grip traps and I am asking you to do the same. Many of our SAR dogs are off-lead while searching and it would be devastating to all of us for any of our dogs to be killed, while searching or training, by a trap such as this, with no warning.
Thanks so much for your consideration in this matter.
Brian L Benson