H.R. 4108: Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act

This bill, known as the Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act, aims to amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 by prohibiting the possession and use of body-gripping traps within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Below are the key components of the bill:

Prohibition on Body-Gripping Traps

The legislation generally prohibits individuals from possessing or using body-gripping traps within the National Wildlife Refuge System. These traps are devices designed to capture or kill wildlife by physically restraining them. This category includes steel-jaw traps, padded traps, kill-type traps, snare traps, and any modified versions of these traps.

Exceptions to the Prohibition

• Federal Agencies: The prohibition does not apply to Federal agency personnel who use body-gripping traps for:
  • Controlling invasive species to achieve resource management goals.
  • Protecting species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, or species designated as sensitive by the Secretary of the Interior.
  These traps can only be used if State and Federal laws are followed and if other non-lethal methods have been exhausted and documented.
• Dismantling Traps: The law does not prohibit the dismantling of body-gripping traps.
• Alaska: The law does not apply to the National Wildlife Refuge System in Alaska.
• Tribal Members: Members of federally recognized Indian Tribes may possess or use body-gripping traps for subsistence purposes.

Penalties for Violations

Individuals who violate the prohibition on body-gripping traps may face the following penalties:

• A civil fine of up to $500 for each trap possessed or used in violation of the law.
• Imprisonment for up to 180 days.
• Or a combination of both fines and imprisonment.

The fines will be adjusted annually for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index.

Forfeiture of Traps and Wildlife

Any body-gripping trap used or possessed in violation of this law, along with any wildlife captured by such traps, is subject to forfeiture to the United States government.

Definition of Body-Gripping Trap

The bill defines a body-gripping trap as any device intended to kill or capture wildlife by physically restraining part of the animal, explicitly including various types of traps but excluding cage or box traps and specific live traps.

Regulations and Amendments

The Secretary of the Interior is required to issue regulations needed to enforce the amendments made by this bill no later than 120 days after its enactment. However, the effectiveness of the prohibitions will not depend on the issuance of regulations.

Effective Date

The amendments to the act will take effect 120 days after the bill is enacted.

Relevant Companies

None found