The
Collarum™ - Canine Capture Device Designed to Meet
International Humane Standards
There is
a worldwide demand for more humane devices to capture animals, both fur
bearers and predators. This demand arises for both environmental and
ethical reasons. An Agreement on International Humane Trapping
Standards signed in 1995 by the European Economic Community, Canada,
and Russia may ultimately lead to the banning of all steel leghold
traps in those countries. Already some states in the U. S. (e.g.,
California, Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, Florida, and New Jersey) ban these traps.
WCS,
LLC holds patents on two different traps (patent #5,956,891--the
Collarum™ , and patent # 5,109,627--the Crossfire™) which are designed
to meet humane standards. Foreign patents are also pending. Testing and
development has been taking place for several years in conjunction with
the National Wildlife Research Center of the USDA's Wildlife Services
division.
The
Collarum™ is designed to capture canines (coyote, fox, dog, wolf, etc.)
by throwing a cable loop over their head and around the neck. The end
of the capture loop is anchored in the ground and the canine is held
like a dog on a leash. It is unique in several ways:
First,
it is canine-specific because of the trigger mechanism. The trigger
requires a pull action rather than the push/depress mechanism normally
employed by traps. The effectiveness of this action for canine
specificity has been proven through the years by the M-44 cyanide gun,
which uses a similar trigger principle. The only animals caught by the
Collarum™ have been canines. The trigger and spring-loaded action
distinguish the Collarum™ from other devices which can be very indiscriminate
in what they capture.
Second,
the Collarum™ is much more humane than existing traps. In a study
conducted by the Predator Research division of the National Wildlife
Research Center, Dept. of Agriculture, (Texas, Feb. 1999), 70% of
coyotes caught showed no significant injuries, while the most prevalent
damage was to the teeth in approximately 1 of every 5 animals. Most
dogs and fox sustain substantially less damage because they fight less
than coyotes. The recent development of the Relaxalock™ cable assures
an even more "dog-friendly" capture.
 Third, this trap is much
safer to utilize in areas where people, pets and other domestic animals
may come in contact with it. An unknowing human springing the Collarum™
is at little risk. Animals other than canines are very unlikely to be
caught by this device even if they spring it, and captured domestic
dogs can be released with no harm done. Unlike cage traps which are
large, bulky, and difficult to conceal, the Collarum™ is light,
compact, and easy to hide. This gives it distinct advantages for Animal
Control Officers (ACOs) in high visibility areas. The Collarum™ has
also proven its effectiveness in capturing animals that won't approach
a cage trap or tolerate the close approach of humans.
As
one Wildlife Control Officer in Wyoming puts it, "In the course of
catching feral dogs, fox and coyotes, I have found the Collarum™ traps
to be a viable option for lethal and non-lethal control of problem
canids where other control devices could not be used." Besides catching
canines in remote settings, ACOs have caught coyotes in the backyards
and gardens of urban residents, feral dogs at landfills, and coyotes
and fox in pastures with livestock present. Gary Beeman of Lafayette,
CA reports, "I put the Collarum™ out the first weekend I got it. In
three days I caught two feral dogs that local Animal Control Officers
had been after for two years. They'd run out of options. I look forward
to using it again in similar circumstances." Recently an ACO in
Louisiana reported setting his Collarum 12 times and capturing 11 dogs.
*
Gruver,
Shivik, DeLiberto. Evaluation of New Cable Restraints for
Capturing Coyotes. National Wildlife Research Center, Fort
Collins, Colorado.
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