Earth Day events

Discover Wild NH Day, an annual Fish and Game Department event, began in 1989 to celebrate Earth Day. The public praised NHFG for having a fun and noncommercial family event. Over the years, this event’s NH Animal Rights League booth had fun games for kids. One year, for a free pair of toy binoculars, kids matched the animal with the habitat and learned how to coexist with wildlife. Check out this successful day at NH Fish & Game Event two years ago with New Hampshire Animal Rights League (nhanimalrights.org) when toy mice and humane mouse traps were given away for free.

Perhaps envious of NHARL, the NH trappers whined about being criticized for their cruelty to animals and, unfortunately, succeeded in getting NHARL kicked out of the 2024 event. So, this year, while NHARL and the Voices of Wildlife held a fur-trapping protest across the street, the NH trappers’ booth was situated prominently at the entrance. They obscenely sold fur hats for $100, fox tails for $10, and bobcat tail key rings for $10. And the public gave thumbs-up to the protesters across the street. Whoever is responsible for turning this Earth Day event into something that would make Mother Nature cringe should consider the harm they are doing to this once-praised event. Let’s encourage NHFG to do better in 2025. Relocate the trappers to the back of the event along with the cruel wares they try to sell.

Linda Dionne

Raymond