December 10, 2020
2020 has been a painful year. The beginning of trapping season here in New Mexico is following the same awful pattern. High profile incidents in the news have proven, once again, that traps on public lands are a serious threat to public safety and animals and they need to go. We hope reading the horrific stories linked in the next paragraph will fire you up to take action!
In just the past few weeks, dogs have been trapped in San Juan County, Santa Fe County, and Los Alamos County. A man on a morning stroll discovered the awful carnage of a trapper’s dump near Santa Teresa in Doña Ana County. And in case you missed it, the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board recently printed this powerful piece in favor of banning trapping.
These episodes are just the beginning. Thousands of native bobcats, foxes, badgers, beavers, and other animals die prolonged and excruciating deaths every year at the hands of trappers in the Land of Enchantment.
You can help keep the spotlight on this issue!
Write a letter to the editor about how these stories make you feel
and your dismay about trapping on our public lands.
Please help the TrapFree NM Coalition pressure New Mexico’s elected leaders by adding your voice to the growing chorus of people who want safe, accessible, cruelty-free public lands by writing a short letter to the editor or a longer op-ed to the Albuquerque Journal and/or your local newspaper. We have made this as easy as possible—below is a list of news outlets around the state that may publish your words.
- Alamogordo Daily News – 225 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Albuquerque Journal (including Moriarty) – 350 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Artesia Daily Press – 300 word limit – Email to editor@artesianews.com
- Carlsbad Current-Argus – Be brief – Click to submit here»
- De Baca County News (Fort Sumner) – Be brief & include telephone number – Email to pecospub@plateautel.net
- Deming Headlight – 225 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Desert Exposure (Las Cruces) – Be brief – Email to elva@lascrucesbulletin.com
- Edgewood Independent – Be brief – Email to news.ind.editor@gmail.com
- El Defensor-Chieftain (Socorro, NM) – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Farmington Daily Times – 400 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Gallup Independent – 500 word limit – Email to letters@gallupindependent.com
- Hidalgo County Herald (Lordsburg) – Be brief & include name/telephone number – Email to hcherald@gilanet.com
- Hobbs News-Sun – Be brief – Email to editor@hobbsnews.com
- Las Cruces Sun-News – 300 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Las Vegas Optic – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Lincoln County News – Be brief – Email to j.p.aguilar44@hotmail.com
- Los Alamos Reporter – Be brief – Email to maire@losalamosreporter.com
- Los Alamos Daily Post – Be brief – Email to caclark@losalamosdailypost.com
- Quay County Sun (Tucumcari) – 500 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Rio Grande Sun (Española) – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Rio Rancho Observer – 500 word limit – Email to editor@rrobserver.com
- Roswell Daily Record – 400 word limit – Include name & town – Email to editor@rdrnews.com
- Ruidoso News – 225 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Santa Fe New Mexican – 150 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Sierra County Sentinel – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Silver City Daily Press – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Silver City Sun-News – 300 word limit – Click to submit here»
- Taos News – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
- The Eastern New Mexico News (Clovis) – Be brief – Email to kwilson@thenews.email
- Valencia County News Bulletin (Belen) – 250 word limit – Click to submit here»
Here are talking points for more information. If you need further guidance, please email us and we will lend a hand. Thank you for your advocacy! Together, we can end trapping on public lands once and for all.
