Trap Free New Mexico

07/19/2025

A Valdez couple were devastated to find their beloved husky, whom some in the area referred to as "the Mayor of Valdez,” dead in a wire trap off Broken Arrow Road in early June.

Valdez dog dies in snare trap.

03/15/2025

Please take a few minutes for New Mexico wildlife!

Please ask the Governor to sign Senate Bill 5 for wildlife. SB 5 has passed the legislature and Governor Lujan Grisham needs to sign it.

01/09/2025

KOB 4: Farmington cat injured after getting caught by illegal trap

Farmington cat injured after getting caught by illegal trap.

11/27/2023

Trap Incident Report: Dog caught and maimed by suspected snare trap near Rodarte, NM: https://trapfreenm.org/trap-incident-report-dog-caught-and-maimed-by-suspected-snare-trap-near-rodarte-nm/

09/19/2023

Thanks to the tireless work of thousands of New Mexicans for many years, Roxy’s Law was enacted in 2021 and implemented in 2022. Since then, there has been a stark decline in the number of native wildlife killed by traps. And, reports to TrapFree New Mexico show very few people and pets having horrible encounters with traps when recreating on public lands.

In other words, Roxy's Law is working!

Celebrating trap-free New Mexico public lands. Roxy’s Law is protecting wildlife, people, and pets from dangerous traps on public lands.

04/03/2023

"Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Animal Control officers brought in a seven-month-old puppy with a severely swollen head and an undeniable snare around his neck. The puppy was having a hard time breathing.

A good Samaritan called officers when they saw the dog running just north of .

'Fortunately, for this dog, he was able to actually pull the cable from whatever it was attached to and break himself free,' said Allen.

A vet team was able to sedate the dog and cut off the snare.

Two days later, the little guy, temporarily known as Muffin, is looking good as new.

But the incident raises questions about New Mexico’s trapping laws.

'The problem with these snares is that they’re indiscriminate. When you set a snare like that you can trap anything it does not discriminate what type of living being is getting strangled by this thing,' said Allen."

Thank you to Española Humane !!!

Rio Arriba County Animal Control officers brought in a seven-month-old puppy with a severely swollen head and an undeniable snare around his neck. The puppy was having a hard time breathing.

10/27/2022

From the Cibola Citizen: Milan man Zacharia Copeland, 22, has been charged with Trapping Without a License. The charge came after Copeland posted a Facebook photo of a badger he had shot. Investigators found the photo, and on October 19 they filed a criminal complaint against Copeland. An arraignment has been scheduled in the Cibola County Magistrate Court for November 21 at 9 a.m. According to the criminal complaint, badgers are protected animals in the State of New Mexico and can only be trapped or hunted with a permit.

MILAN, N.M. – Milan man Zacharia Copeland, 22, has been charged with Trapping Without a License. The charge came after Copeland posted a Facebook photo of a badger he had shot. Investigators found the photo, and on October 19 they filed a criminal complaint against Copeland. An arraignment has bee...

11/28/2021

The trapper accused of killing Roxy, a Northern New Mexico cattle dog who was strangled to death in a snare near Santa Cruz Lake, recently was found not guilty. The

11/24/2021

"Beginning in April, it will be illegal to use traps, snares and wildlife poison on public lands in New Mexico.

That’s one positive outcome from the tragic death of an Española dog name Roxy — but it’s hard to be optimistic about the new law’s ability to be effective.

Here’s why: The same agency that will investigate violations of the new anti-trapping law, dubbed “Roxy’s Law” — the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish — handled the investigation of Roxy’s death."

Beginning in April, it will be illegal to use traps, snares and wildlife poison on public lands in N ...

11/12/2021

"A Chimayó man accused of setting a snare trap that caused the death of a dog named Roxy, which sparked a law outlawing trapping on public lands, has been found not guilty on all charges related to the 2018 incident."

The man was accused of setting a snare trap that caused the death of a dog named Roxy, which sparked a law outlawing trapping on public lands.

11/10/2021

Monday, November 1st marked the start of New Mexico’s last trapping season on public lands. Thanks in large part to all that you did, Roxy’s Law will take effect on April 1st 2022 and effectively end the use of traps, snares, and poisons across all public lands in our great state.

But we have one more trapping season to get through first. That means that from Monday, November 1 until March 15, 2022, you can expect to find dangerous, cruel traps and snares awaiting the paws and claws of unsuspecting wildlife and companion animals throughout New Mexico.

Stay alert and stay safe! We encourage you to learn how to release your dog from a leghold trap (video on TrapFreeNM.org) and consider carrying cable-cutters in case your dog encounters a deadly snare. Already this fall we have heard from a New Mexican who has had to free their dog.

As always, if you do encounter a trap, please share your story with us.

We hope that you can enjoy New Mexico’s public lands this winter, but do so knowing that traps are out there. Next winter will be wonderfully different…

04/06/2021

"...Lujan Grisham signed a number of bills Monday.

A wildlife measure she approved, Senate Bill 32, passed the House this month by one vote, 35-34. The legislation will ban traps, snares and wildlife poisons on public land.

Jessica Johnson of Animal Protection Voters described it as the culmination of a decade of work to protect animals from unnecessary cruelty. The measure is named after Roxy, a dog who died of strangulation by a snare in 2018.

The bill, Johnson said, will 'enhance the life of humans as well as companion animals, boost the safety of communities, and continue the important work of conservation and protection of the wildlife and public lands across New Mexico.'"

Busy week begins with action on schools, environment, elections