Email Your Legislators and Make a Difference
Highly regulated furbearer trapping seasons are important to reaching Massachusetts conservation goals and objectives
Promoting Science Based Wildlife Management Decisions for a Better Massachusetts
Writing an email to your Massachusetts state senators about Senate Bill 634, urging them to support it by cosponsering the bill. Asking them to advocate for the bill is a great way, as a resident of the commonwealth to do your part and participate in the process. Since this is a Senate bill, it must come out of the "Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources" with a favorable recommendation before a companion HOUSE bill is generated. Until that happens, alerting your Representatives of the bill assigned to the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, and has your support. Make sure to check back to the MACRWM website to see the status of the bill.
Below are some example emails that touch on what to say, and how to say it. Being respectful and to the point while highlighting why modifications to the existing trapping law is important to you is critical. Important: This is intended to be a guide. Try to use your own words
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Dear Senator [First and Last Name],
My name is [First Name, Last Name] and reside at [Street address, Town, MA, zip]. As a constituient, I am asking you to advocate for and actively support Senate Bill 634 - "An act conserving our natural resources". This bill proactively addresses serious concerns and issues related to human/animal conflicts by reasonably modifying the existing, state trapping law since 2000. The current law (Chapter 131, section 80a) has remained virtually unchanged since 2000. It's a law that is clearly not working for a many accross the state. I have witnessed myself and seen many examples of how the current law has failed us.
S.634 provides 4 important changes, targeting the shortcommings and unintended consquenses of chapter 131, section 80a. They are as follows:
1. Maintains the Department of Health and Services (DHS) control over immediate health and safety situations.
2. Allows for use during a proacvtive MADFW established regulated furbearer trapping season (that include beaver and muskrat), conibear style devices that are currently only availble with a reactive 10-day health and saftey local board of health permit.
3. Allows for use, two animal restraint devices called "foot encapsulationi devices" and "non-lethal cable restraints" (extensively scientifically tested and exceptionally humane) that did not exist when the current Massachusetts trapping law was implemented in 1996.
4. Allows the MA Divsion of Fisheries of Wildlife to manage furbearer populations (that include beaver and coyote) between the months of November and April using 3 exceptionally safe, effective and humane devices currently banned or excessively restricted by the existing law
5. Has a required reporting component outside of the establish regulated MADFW for animal taken under 10-day health and safety permit. The MADFW already has a reporting component within established seasons
The current law that regulates when, how, and why certain wildlife is simply not working for many accross the state, including residents that call your district home. Please cosponser this important billand advocate for it. It's passing will help people, wildlife populations and foster positive interactions between the two. Please do no hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss more. Thank you!
Respectfully, [First Name, Last Name]
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Message to your District Reprsentative:
Dear Representative [First Name, Last Name
My name is [First Name, Last Name] and reside at [Street address, Town, MA, zip]. As your constituient, I am making you aware of my support and backing of Senate Bill 634 - "An act conserving our natural resources" that currently resides in the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Please keep an eye on this bill and if reported out favorably, please support the House version of it. This bill proactively addresses serious concerns and issues related to human/animal conflicts by reasonably modifying the existing, state trapping law since 2000. The current law (Chapter 131, section 80a) has remained virtually unchanged since 2000. It's a law that is clearly not working for a many accross the state. I have witnessed myself and seen many examples of how the current law has failed us.
S.634 provides 4 important changes, targeting the shortcommings and unintended consquenses of chapter 131, section 80a. They are as follows:
1. Maintains the Department of Health and Services (DHS) control over immediate health and safety situations.
2. Allows for use during a proacvtive MADFW established regulated furbearer trapping season (that include beaver and muskrat), conibear style devices that are currently only availble with a reactive 10-day health and saftey local board of health permit.
3. Allows for use, two animal restraint devices called "foot encapsulationi devices" and "non-lethal cable restraints" (extensively scientifically tested and exceptionally humane) that did not exist when the current Massachusetts trapping law was implemented in 1996.
4. Allows the MA Divsion of Fisheries of Wildlife to manage furbearer populations (that include beaver and coyote) between the months of November and April using 3 exceptionally safe, effective and humane devices currently banned or excessively restricted by the existing law
5. Has a required reporting component outside of the establish regulated MADFW for animal taken under 10-day health and safety permit. The MADFW already has a reporting component within established seasons
The current law that regulates when, how, and why certain wildlife is simply not working for many accross the state, including residents that call your district home. If you have the opportunity to support and cosponser the House version when it emerges out of the Joint Committee, please do on behalf of a conservation minded constituent. It's passing will help people, wildlife populations and foster positive interactions between the two. Please do no hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss more. Thank you!
Respectfully, [First Name, Last Name]