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TO: U.S. Elected Official

I am writing to you to express my concern regarding the use of snaring to kill wildlife, whether it is used to control wildlife population, for economic gain or for any other purpose. Snaring is one of the cruelest ways to kill an animal. The use of steal cable to trap and strangle animals is a horrible death. It is a slow strangulation. The victim's brain hemorrhages and its neck is often broken.

It has come to my attention that the legislature of Maine is trying to expand this cruel practice to decrease the number of coyotes to appease deer hunters who are vexed over declining deer population numbers. In reality, coyotes may most likely not be the cause for the decline in deer in the State of Maine. It is more likely the loss of habitat that is contributing the most significantly to less deer.

Snaring is unacceptable and I want you, as my elected official, to ensure that this practice is prohibited and that anyone arrested for snaring will be charged with a Class 1 Felony.

Before man started manipulating its environment, all of the plants and animals were able to reach a state of natural equilibrium by a balance of predators and prey and natural cycles of weather and procreation. It is man's intervention that has caused nearly all losses of natural ecological balance. Animals should not suffer cruel fates at the hands of men when men caused the loss of equilibrium in the first place. Why should wildlife bear the burdens of man's mistakes?

It is up to our laws and policies to protect, not persecute, wildlife. Man should treat the earth and its inhabitants as trust property, to be cared for wisely and humanely. Because animals are unable to speak for themselves, it is up to us to speak for them.

If there are not enough deer to please the hunters, many humane solutions are possible. A few of them come to mine. (1) You could set aside more wildlife preserves to restore, or at least prevent greater loss, of natural habitat suitable for deer. (2) You could implement humane means of coyote birth control (e.g. capturing - by humane means - and castrating - by sterile anesthetic and humans means - males, or by delivering birth control to the females at the appropriate times during their reproductive cycles). (3) You could issue fewer deer hunting licenses and charge more for them, or cease issuing deer hunting licenses altogether (my personal preference).

If you put our nation's braintrust of scientists to work, I am sure they can come up with even more ideas that do NOT involve inhumane procedures.

This issue is important to me and to many of your constituents. Please protect our animals as they are an important part of our society and we need to ensure their safety and well being. They depend on us to protect them and as our elected official I hope you will take this into consideration.

Please acknowledge this message, and please let me know what your position is on this very serious matter. This is important to me and to your other constituents.

My personal message to you is:

Sincerely,

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