This is no way for a wild animal to die

Heartbreaking and a crime against nature.

This makes me cry. This makes me angry. I believe most cross-country skiers have a healthy respect for nature, and would abhor this.

I was thrilled last winter to see wolf tracks in the snow in Peter Lougheed Prov Park. Fortunately, wolves have some protection while in the park, but as soon as they venture onto unprotected crown land, or private land, they can suffer the cruellest of fates. Don’t look at this if you’re disturbed by graphic images. Trapped. The photo and story are powerful. The person who did this is reprehensible, and I believe anyone inflicting this upon an animal is  low-life scum. I had no idea what I was about to see when I clicked on it, and it is very disturbing. The author of the article said “the scene in front of us was one of dreadful suffering…it haunted our group of four for the rest of the day.”

This situation occurred in Alaska, but it also happens daily right here in our own province. Trapping is allowed in Alberta today, on crown lands, and our beautiful wild animals suffer needlessly. Last year, 430 Alberta wolves met this horrifying death so a trapper could receive $108.06 for its pelt. An industry that brings in $46,000 but makes 430 wolves suffer a horrendously painful demise. Let’s do something about it.

We are the stewards of Alberta’s wildlife. They do not belong to a few trappers. You can help by contacting your MLA  and asking for an immediate end to this barbaric practice. Another thing you can do is support one of our advertisers The association for the protection of fur-bearing animals

You can see more photos(healthy and alive) of the Spray Valley Wolves.

If you can’t bear to look at the photo and read the story, this comment from a reader sums it up pretty well:

“If someone deliberately inflicted this kind of pain and injury on a dog, it would be considered animal cruelty… but setting out to do this to a wolf is LEGAL?  Preposterous!  I’m sorry, but if you value your tradition so much that you are willing to make another creature suffer for it this way, you are messed up.  “Traditions” like this belong on the ash heap, right next to slavery, dog fighting, and other activities that were once considered an acceptable part of people’s heritage.”

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