Trap safety videos for pet owner offer advice for sharing Idaho's outdoors

Pet owners are reminded that wintertime in Idaho means fur trapping seasons are open and pets running off-leash and not closely supervised risk having their toes pinched - or worse. When pets do encounter traps or snares, owners must be prepared to act quickly. That's why the Idaho Fish and Game encourages pet owners to view two informational videos that provide tips on what to look for to avoid traps and what to do if a pet gets caught. Produced by the department, a 9-minute video - Avoiding Wildlife Traps While Walking your Dog - shows the variety of traps and snares you may encounter while hiking or walking your dog and how to recognize and avoid them. Some traps and trap sets can be very visible if you know what to look for. However, many traps will be difficult to spot; it depends on the species targeted. The intent of this video is to aid viewers in knowing what to look for to help them make decisions about whether to keep their dogs on-leash in certain areas. A companion 8-minute video - Releasing Your Dog from a Trap - describes the types of traps and snares likely to be encountered and provides instructions and how to release your dog quickly should it get caught. A brochure is also available at some pet stores, veterinary clinics and department offices statewide. Both videos and brochure are available at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/trap. Trap awareness seminars are periodically offered in some areas by department staff and dog club members that teach pet owners how to recognize and avoid traps and snares, demonstrate how traps work and how to open them, and feature overviews about trapping regulations and animal restraint ordinances. Trappers are advised to avoid conflicts by not setting traps close to homes and popular trails and trailheads, and to follow the "Code of Ethics" taught in Idaho's trapper and wolf trapper certification courses.