The tragic death of a beloved Siberian husky in a commercial animal trap has ignited a passionate campaign for legal reform in British Columbia. Sean Boxall and his partner Nicole Trigg are now championing "Moon's Law," a push for stricter regulations on trapping after their two-year-old rescue dog was killed on January 8, 2025.
A Frantic and Fatal Encounter on a Forestry Road
The incident occurred on Crown land approximately 27 kilometers west of Radium, B.C. Sean Boxall had taken his dog, Moon, to a plowed forestry road popular with snowmobilers and cross-country skiers. As they arrived, Boxall spotted a warning sign for a fur trap, but it was partially obscured by tree branches. It was already too late.
Moon had been drawn to a freshly baited conibear trap, a powerful device with steel jaws designed for fur-bearing animals like lynx and bobcats. The trap clamped shut on the dog's neck, crushing his trachea almost instantly.
"I saw the trap clamp down directly on his neck, he let out an instant yelp and started to frantically try to free himself," Boxall recounted. He rushed to his pet, describing the dog's blue eyes as "filled with absolute terror." Despite desperate attempts to pry the trap open, which resulted in severe cuts to his hand, Boxall was unable to save Moon. The dog died on the snowy roadside.
The Campaign for Change: What is Moon's Law?
Devastated by the loss, Boxall and Trigg believe Moon's death should be a catalyst for change. They have launched a letter-writing campaign directed at B.C.'s Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Randene Neill, under the banner of "Moon's Law."
The proposed reforms focus on increasing safety on public lands where recreational activities and commercial trapping overlap. Key suggestions include:
- Banning commercial trapping on public land accessible for recreation, or
- Significantly tightening regulations to mandate traps be set much farther from roads and trails.
- Requiring traps to be designed so they can be opened more easily in an emergency.
"If you don't have your dog tortured and killed in front of you, it's hard to imagine how traumatic it is," said Boxall, a forestry worker who is aware of at least half a dozen similar incidents in the area where domestic dogs were injured or killed.
A Wider Problem Beyond One Tragedy
Nicole Trigg emphasized that many visitors to the scenic Radium-Invermere area, which attracts numerous Albertans, are unaware of the potential danger. "If you're driving because you want to get into nature and winter wonderland... and you stop to let your dog out to pee, then this could potentially happen to them," she stated via email.
She has heard of three other accounts of dogs being caught in traps in the preceding week alone, though those animals were reportedly freed because different trap styles were used.
Data obtained through freedom of information requests by trapping opponents reveals the issue is not isolated. From 2017 to 2021, there were at least 56 dogs and cats caught in fur traps in B.C., and another 30 in Alberta.
Moon, a joyful dog rescued from a crowded California shelter in 2024, had been embracing his new life in Canada. "He drew dogs and people to him," Trigg said. "He embraced his new life with gusto." His owners are now determined to ensure his death leads to greater protection for other pets and families enjoying Canada's wilderness.
