Update: Urge City of Calgary to Nix Beaver Massacre!
Update (September 2, 2025): We’ve heard rumors that the city may have changed contractors and that there may be a greater focus on habitat modification moving forward. Please message officials asking them to confirm that lethal methods will be scrapped.
Original post:
Reportedly, beavers who are simply trying to eke out an existence in Cranston Riverstone, Calgary, are being targeted by a contracted trapper hired by the City of Calgary. Killing or otherwise removing beavers is ineffective, as those who remain will then breed at accelerated rates while inevitable newcomers arrive to take advantage of the still-available resources. Furthermore, devices typically used to capture and kill beavers—Conibear traps—cause immense suffering as the terrified victims are slowly crushed or drowned (which for beavers can take more than 15 agonizing minutes). Steel-jaw traps, which appear to be the medieval devices being set underwater in Calgary to catch beavers, and snares cause victims to endure immense pain while they struggle for prolonged periods until they drown or slowly suffocate. Animals who don’t drown or suffocate eventually succumb to dehydration, starvation, or shock. Such traps are also indiscriminate, posing risks to “non-target” victims, including protected wildlife and companion animals.
We’ve provided the city’s officials with information about the cruelty and futility of this plan along with details regarding effective and humane beaver-control methods, and PETA supporters shared their concerns with the city in 2022—but these animals still need us to speak up. Please politely ask the following officials why they’re still allowing beavers to be killed and why they haven’t made a good-faith effort to make changes to the environment:
• Jyoti Gondek
Mayor of Calgary
E-mail: [email protected]
If you’re a resident of Calgary, use this contact form.
• City of Calgary Council Members
You can contact the council members with one message—just copy this block of e-mail addresses and paste them in the “To” field of your e-mail:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
If you’re a resident of Calgary, use this contact form.
• Lincoln Julie
Calgary Parks Integrated Pest Management Lead
[email protected]
• City of Calgary
If you live in Calgary, call 311.
If you live outside the city but in Canada, call 403-268-2489.
If you live in the U.S., call +1-403-268-2489.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and live in Canada, call 403-268-4889.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and live in the U.S., call +1-403-268-4889.
Please feel free to use our sample letter, but remember that using your own words is always more effective.
