Mole Traps

Oh sorry THdog, I hadn’t seen your post, found it now. I just wanted to bring it to any members attention who, like me, almost ignored it.

Not at all. I think it’s important that as many folks as possible vote, so anything that raises awareness😁

Post Deleted User: As this was a private message sent directly we ask please do not share this on the forum. Thank you for your understanding. 

The location of two mole hills traps were set for, were located outside the site gate entrance where members frequently walk past, it was considered these could be a trip hazard and cause injury, if the earth may have collapsed beneath anyone's footing.

Not all club members wander around with their heads stuck n their mobile phones

K9S4EVA, thanks for the update & the continuing robust follow up & questioning the veracity of the reply you received. Keep at it Girl👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you for your fulsome post Julie.

You certainly seem to have dotted the i's and crossed the T's. Good luck in your pursuit of the facts.

It is easy for us posters to give our opinion but you were actually on the spot and one of the parties to the action. From the reply it does seem that the CAMC have actually confirmed that the work was undertaken on their request by a contractor.

I do know that the club will from time to time get specialist contractors in to solve animal issues. We were told by staff at Exeter racecourse site that before they open up in the spring the offices and club occupied buildings have to remove any over wintering adders from them. These snakes are to be found in and around the area and any snakes removed are relocated to the perimeters so I know it can be essential work but your circumstances seem different to that and seem more in line with eradication of the assumed "pest".

Best wishes in your future dealings with them over this issue.

Thanks for posting and well done, K9.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I found the reply from the club rather contradictory in playing up the role of wildlife being left to do their own thing and then appearing to say they did indeed set the traps.

Thanks for the update, K9. Good to read that you are continuing with pressing for an accurate and truthful response.

Yes, thank you for the update, and good for you for not being fobbed off with corporate waffle. Things like this do need raising, and big businesses need to know folks who care are watching.👏👏👏

I shall be taking a longer look around Club Sites I visit in future. Given that private dwellings are very close to the entrance at OH, I would very very concerned if I was a pet owner living nearby.

There’s still time to submit a question to the AGM, maybe asking who authorised the mole traps?

Thank you for the responses everyone.  Based on your replies I have submitted further questions to the Club, which I have pasted below and thanks Takethedogalong, I will submit a question for the AGM.

In readiness for some who will assume I am an animal rights activist extremist, I just want to say that yes I am passionate about the welfare and care of animals, and their rights, and I like to do my bit wherever I can, but I am neither an activist, nor an extremist.  Not everything is black and white - there are many shades of grey in between.  

In this instance, as Where Next has said, I was on site, I saw where the traps were laid, and I could not see any rhyme or reason for their use, apart from keeping the area pretty, or some ridiculous trip hazard excuse.  It is for this reason I have pursued this, and wanted to question their use.  I am trying to make people (the Club and Wardens) think before acting.  Aside from not agreeing with the trapping and killing of moles, I also felt the traps were more of a hazard to people's pets, especially being a scent hound owner.  I don't believe the Wardens even contemplated that issue.

Hi Lauren

Further to my response yesterday I have a couple more queries, some of which have been brought to my attention by other Club Members.

Why, if the Wardens remove soil from other mole hills around the site, do they not do the same at the entrance? Surely mole hills around the site fall under the same excuse for them trapping moles at the entrance...ie that members frequently walk past and they could be a trip hazard and cause injury.

The Pest Control Officer from Northumberland Council stated that even if they did set mole traps, they would never do so in areas the public accessed, or where dogs could get to them and injure themselves.

Did the Wardens consider the risk to the public and dogs from the traps, and weigh it up against the risk of injury from stumbling over a mole hill?

Were risk assessments carried out for the risk of stumbling over a mole hill and the risk of setting mole traps in an area frequented by the public and pets?

Were the local residents informed of the traps? There is a lovely old Border Terrier that lounges on the grassed area...was his/her owner made aware of the risk to their dog?

Who authorised the use of the traps?

Are Green Tourism aware of the Club's use of mole traps?

For information, I showed my husband and niece where the traps were, so they can also witness that more than two were laid and that they were laid both inside and outside of the site.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Julie