The Humane Society of the United States Calls for Halt to Rattlesnake Roundups

13/05/2007 00:00:00 2007. The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, is calling for a halt to the rattlesnake roundups.

Though often billed as performing an important environmental service by ridding a locale of dangerous pests and providing antivenin for medical use, a HSUS report The Truth Behind Rattlesnake Roundups finds that these events actually disrupt the balance of ecosystems and may increase the chances of people being bitten while sanctioning cruelty to animals. Facts About Rattlesnake Roundups

Popular as fundraisers and attended by families, rattlesnake roundups involve flushing the snakes from their dens with gasoline or other toxic substances; stockpiling them for weeks or months before the event, often in crowded crates or trash cans without food or water; and using the animals in competitions like the ‘sacking contest,’ where teams race to fill a bag with as many snakes as fast as possible.

Rattlesnake roundups adversely affect the environment. The gasoline or other toxic substances used to drive the snakes from their dens renders those dens uninhabitable, potentially for years, to the many other animals that make their homes in rattlesnake burrows. The gasoline also leaks into the soil and can contaminate groundwater.

Rattlesnake roundups also contribute to the unregulated trade in rattlesnake skin and parts. This trade, which includes the sale of skin for boots and belts, meat for consumption, organs for use in traditional Asian medicines, and heads to make curios, could be contributing to the endangered status of certain species of rattlesnakes.

Rattlesnakes play an important role in their ecosystems by preying on rodents and by being prey themselves for raptors and other animals.

The Humane Society of the United States is the USA’s largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at www.humanesociety.org.