PETA's letter to TN Gov. Phil Bredesen follows:
October 5, 2010
The Honorable Phil Bredesen
Governor of Tennessee
Dear Governor Bredesen:
Your urgent attention is respectfully requested. PETA headquarters has received numerous complaints from Tennessee residents who have been advised by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) staff members to cruelly kill wild animals who have been live-trapped. Residents who call TWRA seeking advice about how to dispose of trapped raccoons and skunks are being instructed to kill the animals by drowning, gassing via tailpipe, and abandonment (leaving animals inside the traps without sustenance).
Drowning animals, gassing trapped animals with carbon monoxide, or allowing them to languish inside traps until they die of starvation, exposure, and/or dehydration would cause unnecessary pain and suffering and would therefore violate Tennessee’s anti-cruelty statute. Furthermore, failing to release trapped animals within 36 hours of capture would blatantly violate state trap-check requirements.
In a memo that we sent to TWRA Director Ed Carter on June 6 (attached), we requested an investigation into these allegations. Mr. Carter assured us that the issue would be investigated. However, follow-up calls made to TWRA offices confirm that inhumane methods of killing continue to be recommended and condoned by TWRA staff. A follow-up letter that we sent to Mr. Carter on September 10 (attached) has been ignored. We fear that our concerns may have fallen on deaf ears.
We respectfully ask that your office ensure that TWRA will take immediate corrective action and properly educate and train its staff regarding acceptable wildlife euthanasia methods (i.e., those methods deemed acceptable by the American Veterinary Medical Association).
On behalf of our 2 million members and supporters around the world, including thousands in Tennessee, I want to thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully yours,
Jodi Minion, Wildlife Biologist
(PETA) Cruelty Investigations Department
October 5, 2010
The Honorable Phil Bredesen
Governor of Tennessee
Dear Governor Bredesen:
Your urgent attention is respectfully requested. PETA headquarters has received numerous complaints from Tennessee residents who have been advised by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) staff members to cruelly kill wild animals who have been live-trapped. Residents who call TWRA seeking advice about how to dispose of trapped raccoons and skunks are being instructed to kill the animals by drowning, gassing via tailpipe, and abandonment (leaving animals inside the traps without sustenance).
Drowning animals, gassing trapped animals with carbon monoxide, or allowing them to languish inside traps until they die of starvation, exposure, and/or dehydration would cause unnecessary pain and suffering and would therefore violate Tennessee’s anti-cruelty statute. Furthermore, failing to release trapped animals within 36 hours of capture would blatantly violate state trap-check requirements.
In a memo that we sent to TWRA Director Ed Carter on June 6 (attached), we requested an investigation into these allegations. Mr. Carter assured us that the issue would be investigated. However, follow-up calls made to TWRA offices confirm that inhumane methods of killing continue to be recommended and condoned by TWRA staff. A follow-up letter that we sent to Mr. Carter on September 10 (attached) has been ignored. We fear that our concerns may have fallen on deaf ears.
We respectfully ask that your office ensure that TWRA will take immediate corrective action and properly educate and train its staff regarding acceptable wildlife euthanasia methods (i.e., those methods deemed acceptable by the American Veterinary Medical Association).
On behalf of our 2 million members and supporters around the world, including thousands in Tennessee, I want to thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully yours,
Jodi Minion, Wildlife Biologist
(PETA) Cruelty Investigations Department
