KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
A local man lost one of his dogs to an otter trap, just off Monashka Bay Road. On New Year’s Day, Mike Hansen, a retired commercial fisherman, said his dog was killed when it strayed into a Conibear trap, used for trapping otter.
He described his attempt to rescue Matches, his 50-pound, seven-year old dog.
— (Hansen 1 52 sec "Out near the end of … strangled the life right out of him.")
Hansen, himself a sometime trapper, said he blames trappers for being negligent when it comes to plying their trade near areas where people are likely to run their dogs.
— (Hansen 2 38 sec "For the time being, at least … know who each other are.")
Larry Van Daele, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said both pet owners and trappers should be aware of the trapping seasons, including otter, which runs from November 10th through the end of January, fox, which runs through March and beaver, which runs through April. He also said it’s important for pet owners to understand how traps function in the event of an emergency.
— (Van Daele 1 52 sec "From a pet owner’s … when the season is over.")
Van Daele, a dog owner himself, said trappers have an obligation to safeguard against such occurrences.
— (Van Daele 2 17 sec "The dogs need to … strong obligation near town.")
Van Daele said there are no restrictions on where trappers can set traps during the appropriate season, and that throughout the latter part of winter and the early part of spring, there is the potential of domestic animals being caught in them. He warns pet owners to be on the watch for traps and aware of the various trapping seasons. I’m Erik Wander.
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