CFN – Is there anything more Canadian than a Beaver?
Cornwall Ontario is paying a Trapper hundreds of dollars to place Conibear KILL TRAPS in Guindon Park. The scenic locale is home to paths frequented by dog owners, joggers, and even RC vehicle enthusiasts.
The trap pictured above was less than 10 feet from a path with very little slope.
The issue is not new to Cornwall Ontario, but the traps are now seeming to be there at all hours.
There are some signs in Guindon Park, but small children and of course dogs can’t read them. If it’s dark or someone misses the sign that also could lead to tragedy.
The question for many is if the beavers should be killed in the first place and if they must is trapping the best solution considering the potential dangers to users of the City owned park?
A Conibear Trap like those used in Guindon Park
Wyatt Walsh who lives across from the Park and regularly walks his dog Virgil there.
When I spoke with City Management about this issue it was explained to me that this is how it’s been for ages although last year it was reported that the traps would only be in the park during night hours. Our interview with Mr. Walsh above took place mid afternoon and there was no shortage of visible traps.
Our question to you amazing and wise viewers of The Cornwall Free News is if you feel that beavers need to be eradicated, and if the city does need to remove them from a park should traps like this be used where they can hurt or kill pets or humans?
You can post your comments below.
God help council if a child or dog gets caught in one of these traps!!!!!!!!!!!
Shame on you city of Cornwall. Cruel to the beavers, and possibly harmful to children, pets etc. Seems to me the City has totally lost its marbles if it has had any for awhile.
This is definitely a potential hazard to pedestrians who are un-aware of this beaver trap. And even to people who are aware of this trap because it is a public place meaning that it should be a safe place, especially how children and animals will be playing and roaming in this park.
Whatever happened to relocation of the animals? There is a purpose for them they provide other wildlife with marsh areas to live and thrive. If it is needed to remove the beavers, then why not consider relocation and not eradication. The whole point to the trails and nature parks are to preserve nature in its purest of forms. Why remove such natural creatures and their habits in which we can teach our children what they do. What will be next trapping deer so that they do not run in front of cars….. Or removing ducks from the water because the Quack too often. It is not just the danger that it possesses to children, pets and adults alike. It is cruel and unnecessary to kill in order to remove what is considered a pest. They are a great asset by decreasing the potential of flooding, recharge drinking aquifers and remove pollutants; we should treat them as such.
Holy Horsemeat Batman! Dogs can’t read. If this is a public park,and it is, then these contraptions should not be there without someone supervising the activity that may occur!
My poor little dog would be snuffed out in a sec.
What idiot thought this up? OMG, hope it’s not someone from the Gong Show???
Nice commentary about the literacy of the city council Jamie! LMAO
(I don’t usually use acronyms but this seemed appropriate.)
All I can say is “Wow” What are they thinking?
Leave the beavers alone… you douchebag of a council.
Quite apart from the cruelty aspect, how much is it going to cost the Cornwall tax-payer when someone, or their child, or their pet, gets hurt in one of these traps?
Maybe politicians should be held personally liable for stupid decisions.
Sorry, that was a dumb question, asking how much the tax-payer is going to have to pay in damages and legal fees. In this town, the answer’s obvious.
$1.4m
where are all the peta people that love animals so much is it time to get together with signs and go to the park to show what kind of people are running this city watched a beaver get trapped and it took 6 min. and 6 sec. for it to die all i can say is get the traps out of our park!!!!!!!!!
Why, in a country so vast, does the city counsel feel so threatened by a little wild life that they feel they must pull a Hitler and exterminate rather than relocate? Is there not enough space for both city council AND beavers? I just don’t get it. And that doesn’t even TOUCH on how I feel about the safety issue!
Save the beavers, and abort the humans! Way to go Canada!
Are they all dumbasses running City Hall? Apart from the danger to other animals and children has no-one thought that perhaps there are some adults who cannot read? Wow this Council is going to get their asses in a sling if someone gets hurt in any way!
Unbelievable! I like beavers too… more than Canada geese. Stephen Alexander is a smart fellow and I’m surprised at this.
Perhaps this plan was the brainchild of city council, who permit
dogs on a leash in Lamoureux Park with no enforcement, and now okay e-bikes, scooters and any other mechanical marvel on the city bike path again with no enforcement of any kind.
The National Capital Commission has uniformed conservation agents in marked small pickups who call the shots on their bike
paths! We need a ward system in our elections for city council so some fresh people could get elected.
There is no reason to Kill them.Relocate the beavers ,could all you suits on council not come up with a better way my God does everything have to be killed .Take the traps out of the park,and just try and put you heads together for a second and think of something that would involve kindness,Thank You.
Pastor Tom Newton, the last time I checked beavers could not speak a single word of English or any no other language for that matter, they have no means of defense for the most part. Fetuses on the other hand are encased in a body called a woman, just in case you had not noticed, and that woman has a voice- perhaps you could take the time to listen to what she has to say. Abortion is definitely a problem in our society, for many reasons, but to try to force some kind of distorted commandment onto women is just plain wrong. No one has the right to force their religious beliefs on anyone. Refer to International Charter on Human Rights.
Outrageous! Can you imagine our US friends starting to cull the Bald Eagle if it was a nuisance to some picknickers or joggers? Get real council and stop this barbaric practice. Trap and relocate them!!
Funny how sea gulls are protected but poor beavers are not.
Sea gulls are pests at picnic areas steal our food at the beach if not careful yet they live and we are not allowed to harm them but beavers in Cornwall they are just not Canadian enough I guess!!!!
WAKE UP MAYOR KILGOR ( I swear that man looks like he is sleeping half the time) AND COUNCILORS!!! why the traps
Maybe a biologist (perhaps from the River Institute) could explain what negative impact the beaver population poses. Much as the trap-and-kill issue sickens and frightens me it would be good to have a foundation of knowledge. Someone, some authority must have counselled city council on this issue. As far as signage goes, WARNINGS should be posted all along the HWY to alert both people from the community AND out-of-town visitors to the park. As a relative newcomer to this area, I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Wyatt’s wife Darlene in the park and she told me about the traps. But I was left with the impression they were gone, now they’re back. Why?
We are creatures of great intelligence…correct? Surely we can figure out some way to peacefully co-exist with an innocent beaver. World peace begins right here people.
“We are creatures of great intelligence…correct?” – Have you ever seen a beaver abort it’s offspring? Not natural! So maybe we could learn something from the beaver? The cry of innocent blood of the thousands of aborted babies- their cry is loud and clear! God response to their cry – “vengeance is mine”, saith the Lord God Almighty – “I will repay”.
A song written by me for the occasion can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2eZhxYS_jQ&list=UU_K4F3y2C8sxoV4ajp5I5Mw&index=37&feature=plcp
http://www.cornwall.ca/en/cao/bobkilgermayor.asp
Really Pastor Tom, the issue of dangerous traps set in public parks is turned into an abortion issue…really? Firstly Pastor Tom, I do not believe in abortion as a convenient form of birth control, however there are many legitimate possible reasons for abortions. In the case of pregnancy created through rape, incest, or other violent instances forcing a woman or frequently a child to carry the fetus full term is in reality further victimization of that person and cannot be justified by any means. And what of the unwanted child; can you guarantee it will not carry the stigma of such an existence through any part of its life? If the continuance of pregnancy can cause serious health issues or even death or mentally destroy a mother, who are we to force her to take that chance?
Lastly, whereas your statement that creatures such as beavers cannot willfully abort their young is true, many creatures have been known to eat their young. They also starve out their weak or unhealthy offspring to ensure the survival of the fittest. I can’t say I’ve heard too many cases of humans that eat their young, have you? That is about as relevant as that particular statement gets on this issue!
Sorry for straying from the topic of this very important article which I believe rightly points out the danger of these traps, but it is hard to ignore someone who sees only black or white on an issue such as abortion when in reality it is quite grey!
If they must be rid off, whatever happened to relocation? Good-luck with the court cases. What a cruel way to treat the environment. City council needs to rein in administrators and employees who have no notion what compassion and acceptable civic behavior means.
There are many other councils and places that are dealing in a humane way with beavers. Our local council has decided not to kill the beavers, but instead has chosen to consider protecting certain trees by fencing, different types of repellant and planting trees close to banks that beavers like to eat (i.e. willows). Martinez Beavers has many years experience and various methods to help with overflow, tree felling, etc, caused by beavers WITHOUT resorting to killing the beavers.
there are many instances where animals are caught in conibears that have not been killed outright! this trapper is not being honest!
City Council = The blind leading the blind.
wow, makes me proud to be a cornwallite….how stupid and cruel can one city be?? first a coyote killing spree in the name of a contest, now killing beavers…hmm seems to me if you hadn’t culled the coyotes there would be less beavers because that is one source of food for coyote’s. lets see, less coyotes, more deer, more accidents on the roads…more human endangerment, does anyone not have a clue that we should not fool with mother nature?? Makes me wish I lived in another city, one thats proud of their nature.
This is ridiculous!!! There are more humane ways to deal with the beavers. Try live traps and move them to a more secluded swamp or wetland. It’s nonsense likes this that is causing so many animals to be put on the endangered species list or become extinct!! This is also a very dangerous situation for anyone who visits the PUBLIC park! Not everyone that decides to enjoy our nature trails are locals and not everyone sees the signs until it’s too late! This city really needs to smarten up & use it head. Don’t forget the animals were here 1st and at the rate we are going, by the time our children grow up, there’ll be no wildlife for them to enjoy in their natural habitats. EXTREMELY disappointed in the city of Cornwall and makes me wish I had never moved here!!!!
Send them to Ottawa ..they eat beaver tails everyday
@ 2 sides 2 a Story, Yes they eat beaver tails but they send their limousines to pick them up and the drivers get paid double overtime.
Costs big money to relocate a beaver. Also illegal to relocate them past 1 km of spot where captured. Beavers are abundant in North America. Traps are a bit high up off the water for my taste. Park should be closed to the public during this trapping program, to be safe.
No way … this is very unprofessional. I’m a trapper and wildlife control agent living in belleville and the trap should be under water…or not used at all. a live trap would work but relocation is tricky. by law we can only take a animal 1km from capture site and mute have land owner consent .to release it.so he would be back by sunset.