BUDDY
The following was submitted by Liz Kehr of Kalispell, Montana, © 1998
On the day after Christmas 1997, I was cross-country skiing on a Forest Service road east of Kalispell, with my two dogs, Tara and Buddy. Tara is a lab-cross, and Buddy, a Newfoundland cross, who adopted me and my husband a year earlier, when he came into our lives hungry and neglected.
The day seemed perfect, and I was doing what I liked to do best ... spending time outdoors with two of my favorite companions. The bustle of the valley below escaped us, and I felt peaceful and thankful to be able to live in such a beautiful place.
I was unaware traps were lurking alongside the road and that a yellow lab had been caught by the neck in one of these traps, six days earlier. Wildlife officials and the trapper were aware of this incident, yet didn't do anything to ensure that this wouldn't happen again.
On this day, bouncing happily and carefree through the snow, Buddy was drawn to the scent of chicken bait. The peacefulness of the day was shattered by his cries of terror and pain, as his head was instantly and viciously imprisoned in the steel jaws of an animal trap. Buddy was being strangled to death. Desperately, I tried to free him, as he thrashed around in panic, entangling my legs in the anchor wire, while Tara ran madly around us in frenzied circles. I did everything I could to get the trap to release. My heart was sick because of my inability to help Buddy who was gasping for air. Eventually, I prayed for him to die quickly so that his suffering would end.
After a long struggle and many agonizing minutes for Buddy, I watched with resignation as his eyes glazed over. I knew it was time to say goodbye to this gentle companion, who had added so much happiness to my life, and I stroked his beautiful wavy black fur.
Buddy's death was cruel and unnecessary. No animal deserves to die this way. The serenity I once felt in the woods and a cherished friend have been taken away. His memory now lives on through our many caring friends.
Liz Kehr
Kalispell, Montana
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As the owner of this site, I would like to add that Friends of Buddy support responsible reform in Montana's inadequate trapping regulations. While I feel that all killing and maiming trapping is an activity that we, as a civilized nation can no longer allow. The very existence of traps in our mist is the same as land mines and can effectively rob us of our access and enjoyment to our public lands. It must end.
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