Symbol of anti-trapping movement succumbs to injuries

Kieri, the 8-year-old wheaten terrier whose encounter with a conibear trap last February near the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery sparked a movement to ban the type of trap that snared her, was euthanized by her owners, Jack and Jill Williamson last Tuesday, May 22.

"Kieri took a turn for the worst last Thursday," said Jack Williamson. "She was admitted back into the vet hospital the next day in excruciating pain, and this morning Jill and I held our precious, constant companion of eight years as she was euthanized by our veterinarian, Steven Skinner."

The incident that ultimately took the dog's life has become a rallying point for activists seeking to significantly alter Oregon's rules on trapping.

On their way back to the car after a walk with Kieri to do some bird watching, the dog was ensnared in an unmarked trap just 18 inches from the trail. A worker from the hatchery helped free her. Williamson revived Kieri by administering mouth-to-nose breathing.

Kieri was X-rayed and treated for her injuries and released to her owners.

The dog seemed to have recovered, until she started to exhibit signs of neck pain in late April. In early May veterinarian Steven Skinner performed a Dorsal Cervical Laminectomy to relieve pressure on a fractured vertebrae that was not detected on the initial X-rays.

Once again, Kieri seemed to be recovering, until just a few weeks ago when the debilitating pain in her neck returned and the decision was made to have her euthanized.

"This has obviously been a trying time for us," Williamson said. "Her affected vertebrae was basically disintegrating before our eyes. Dr. Skinner believed this was the most humane thing we could do for her."

Since the accident, Williamson has sent a petition with more than 1,500 signatures to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife asking the agency to change the rules governing trapping. In addition to seeking a ban on the use of large body traps, Williamson wants warnings to appear on trailheads where traps may be placed, and that traps be marked if within 100 feet of a trail.

Spearheading a movement to have trapping completely banned in the state of Oregon, Bend-based TrapFree Oregon held a meeting at the Old Stone Church last Thursday in an effort to get an initiative petition placed on the ballot in 2014.

"We cannot do this without money," said Lucinda Baker, executive director of TrapFree Oregon. Based on the cost of a successful initiative to have trapping banned in the state of Washington in 2000, the group estimates it will need $900,000 in donations to make it happen in Oregon.

Among the speakers in attendance, many with stories of their own involvement with domestic animals and conibear traps, was wildlife biologist James Dawson.

"These conibear traps are indiscriminate and will trap or kill anything that's unfortunate enough to get caught," he said.

Mary Launer of Bend commented her dog had been trapped across from her home on public land near the Deschutes River, and that another of her dogs had been nearly trapped. "We are to the point that we don't feel comfortable taking our dogs out," she said.

Baker added, "I don't feel comfortable taking my dogs out anywhere near the Metolius any more."

TrapFree Oregon is hoping to get enough signatures collected to have the initiative put on the November 2014 ballot. Due to the time it takes to raise money and collect the signatures, this is the earliest the group thinks they can get on the ballot. The goal is to have 120,000 signatures, 30,000 more than is necessary as required by the state, turned in by July 2014. Oregon voters have twice voted down measures to ban trapping, in 1980 and 2000.

In addition to Washington, three other western states have passed bans on trapping: Arizona, California, and Colorado.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife commission could be moving forward before the initiative hits the ballot. In a meeting scheduled for June 7 in Salem, the commission will discuss regulations barring traps within 50 feet of public trails. In addition, the commission is considering prohibiting traps within 300 feet of any public trailhead, and restricting body-gripping conibear traps from being set on land more than 50 feet from a permanent or seasonal water source.