I think you should teach pet owners how to release their dog from a trap or snare if caught.

Don't put more.regilations on the trapper. That's BS,imo.

Why restrict trappers more by making us jump.through more hoops.

Also penalties should be enforced against pet owners of they're animals are caught in legally set traps and they ateal.or spring those legally set traps.

Their animal.can be released without the animals owners having to remove the trap from the set area and if the do take it the DNR needs.to throw the book at thwm instead of molly coddling them,imo.

X2. If they truly love their pets they would control them.

Its always about teaching the trapper ethics, trap placement, etc.,etc. On public land trappers also own the land just like the dog owners. Why is always about putting more restrictions on trappers? I am disappointed that any trapper would even consider that. Don't talk to me about education because here in Montana they implemented with the help of the trappers association a trapper education course. This course has nothing to do about teaching trapping. It was put in place to appease the antis.
Instead of trappers being penalized its time the trappers stood up and fight again pet owners. No more mister nice guy trapper.The pet owners will come after the trappers any chance they can get.

"August 31, 2023 - Unsurprisingly, American pet ownership levels have also grown: In 2023, around 66 percent of American households reported that they owned at least one pet, an increase of about 18 percent since the start of the survey period in 1988. Dogs are still Americans’ favorite pets, as they are found in the most homes in the U.S."



Good luck!

Truth

I appreciate the commentary
Just so we are clear I am looking for ideas to share with fellow trappers. I am NOT looking to try to implement or recommend BS rules or regulations.
A majority of user conflicts that occur up here are pet owners fault, not following leash laws, allowing pets to roam free, and many believe they are above the law and seriously lack commonsense.
Then there is the small percentage of trappers that lack commonsense and set in improper areas with improper gear.
If we can show trappers sets that are very unlikely to create a conflict with other user groups in high density areas. That is the goal.

Sadly A pet proof set is also a game proof set. Lure is in the same boat as well. Unless one is willing to get off the beaten path there will always be problems.

As long as you have pet owners that think or feel their pets can do whatever they want, you'll have that problem.
I trapped for a farmer that told me to use whatever I needed to catch the coons in and around his farm.
I looked around and saw barn cats everywhere.
Legally I can set footholds , and in side a barn 220 body grip traps.
LOL he said set whatever you want.
I brought in 20 cage traps that I built , caught 31 coon , and who knows how many cats.
LOL He would check the traps before I got there, and let the cats go, and leave anything else alone.
His wife thanked me for using the cage traps.
Now canine trapping is totally different.
Even on private property , any dog will get caught.
Many hound hunters don't understand that a foot hold will shock an animal , but won't cause permanent damage to their pet.
All they know is the propaganda spread by animal rights organizations.
Much like MSM today.
Leash laws have been on the books for well over 50 years.
But a bleeding heart prosecutor won't enforce that law.
They fall for the propaganda of the animal rights organizations.
Pets by law in my area are to be under the owners control at all times.
NO LOOSE/ROAMING PETS AT ANY TIME.
Yet when brought Infront of the prosecutor , it's thrown out.
That's how our laws get bypassed and pet owners get the idea that their pets can do as they please.
Elect people that will follow the laws , not their emotions.
People have had it easy for too long, they let their emotions control their thinking.
Common sense is no longer common.

It’s fairly simple. Tell people that from October 1st to March 31st, keep their pets ar home! Doesn’t matter how you serve it up, even following to the letter of the law, if you catch a pet, you are at fault! It’s never the people that let their dogs run free!

I agree with Drifter. I am primarily a canine trapper, fox and coyote. And my go-to set, like most other canine trappers, is a dirt-hole with a foothold because that set is probably the most effective.

I don't know of anyway to make that set pet-safe other than to not make it where pets likely are to be. And that's what I do, I make my sets where pets and hunting dogs are not likely to be.

I'd like to hear how to make an effective canine set that is pet-safe. In my opinion, no such set exists.

I have done my level best to educate the houndsmen around me. I get it. I have owned hounds. Once released they follow the quarry. Sometimes its where I am trapping. Have had little conflict with them. There are exceptions. Not many.

Those people that buy 10 acres, 3 horses and five dogs, then let the dogs run loose, are a mess. Every cattle producer I know has shot free ranging pets for chasing cattle. Many have told me to shoot any dog I catch. I don't but I understand how they feel. Like Dirt said sometimes they get loose in spite of the owners best effort. Sometimes cattle do also. Those incedents are not a big deal. The owners that throw a walleyed fit are the owners who are letting their animals loose illegally.

A few years ago I tracked a guy to his house about 1/4 mile away. I had caught his dog and he released it. Also took my trap. Claimed he didnt know what I was talking about. Fido was still limping in the driveway. Said he was calling the sheriff if I didn't leave. I told him I was going to wait out on the county road for them and call the game warden. I got my trap back but it was tense for a bit.

I've had an experience like that...not fun

I will chime in with a set I devised and used with good success in OR. I believe the same set would be illegal there now. I used a similar set in WA when I was experimenting with it, but it also became illegal.
This is a bobcat set and I came up with as a way of avoiding catching hound dogs.
1st identify a place where you want to make a set where there are 2nd growth Douglas fir trees. You can make it with other trees but the focus of this species of trees is a thick growth of limbs that a bird cannot see down through so as to avoid flying raptors.
You will need to cut a run pole 6 to 8 feet long and something in the neighborhood of no more then, 2 inches in diameter. This is important as you want a pole small enough it discourages dogs. A bobcat will walk the smallest pole though. On the tree 5 to 6 feet high locate a couple of limbs that stick out horizontally and even with each other so that there is enough room to set a 280 conibear between them. I have used 220s but the 280 works best. Cut a piece of bait compact enough to nail to the tree to fit within the jaw spread of your conibear. My favorite is the tail piece behind the hind legs of a beaver. Nail or screw that to the tree between those two limbs. Now place your conibear, springs folded out horizontally on the two limbs with the trigger on the back side placed right against the bait. Trigger will be in contact with the bait. Take two pieces of tie wire and twist them around the limb and the back leg of the conibear spring tight. This makes the trap jump forward when sprung. The run pole should be nailed or screwed to the tree somewhat under the bottom of the trap. Ideally you want the trap at about bobcat head height where the cat will be standing on the pole.
A cat will walk up the pole and spring the trap when it pulls on the bait. A dog will go to the tree and jump up trying to get the bait. if it does manage to spring the trap the jaws will push it out of the trap. One must be sure to use a tree that has good over hanging foliage so that birds cannot find the set. Ideally, the set should only be visible when looking up the run pole.
Never caught a dog and had numerous times dogs came to the set. Pretty much specific to cats although I did catch a couple coons and a spotted skunk or two in it.
Be sure to remove any nails or screws from the tree when you dismantle the set.