10/10/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17o6hs48dL/
A recent video showing a man trapping & drowning a squirrel on his property has sparked public outrage & an animal cruelty investigation in Mitchell.
While the investigation is ongoing, this incident raises a larger question about how we view the killing of animals for pest control & fur trapping.
Drowning an animal is inhumane, regardless of the species. And unfortunately, this method of killing isn't limited to squirrels.
South Dakota's trapping regulations allow certain traps that are entirely submerged in water & remain set beneath ice to go unchecked for nearly five full calendar days before captured animals must be removed. Depending on the circumstances, animals caught in these traps may endure prolonged suffering before they're found.
๐ South Dakota trapping regulations: https://gfp.sd.gov/trapping/
Drowning traps are also sold or made for home pest control, including bucket-style traps designed to drown rodents ๐ข
๐ฆ๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฎ ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด - ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐น, ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐?
The species may be different, but an animal's capacity to suffer doesn't change simply because it's considered a nuisance or is being trapped for its fur.
We can have conversations about wildlife management & protecting property while still asking whether the methods we use are humane. ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐๐ป'๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ต๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ.
When wildlife conflicts arise, there are alternatives worth exploring, including securing food sources, blocking access to buildings & using humane deterrents to prevent animals from becoming unwanted visitors in the first place.
Animals deserve humane treatment, whether they're beloved pets, wildlife in our backyards or animals caught in traps. ๐ฟ๏ธ
