Search Trapping Incidents Database

A wolf was caught in an illegally laid trap in Umatilla National Forest in Oregon. When the trapper found the trapped wolf, he shot the wolf, killing the animal. The trapper pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Taking of Wildlife—Unbranded Traps.

A golden retriever suffered serious injuries after being caught in a leg trap tucked away in a bush on a popular hiking trail, Little Red Rock, near Las Vegas. The pup broke teeth trying to get the trap off but was able to break free. The trap is believed to be illegally placed since it had no tags showing the owner, was not 30 feet away from the bait, and also placed along a frequented trail when Nevada DWS says to avoid these areas.

While out on a neighborhood walk, Lucy, a goldendoodle, wandered from the community trail and into a neighboring pond where she caught her paw in a Conibear trap meant for muskrats. She sustained superficial injuries, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says that the traps were legally set.

A local photographer saw a grizzly boar trapped in a Conibear trap in the Bridger-Teton National Forest near the Blackrock Ranger Station. The photographer forwarded a photo to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Trappers are only required to check conibear traps once every week, although the first week of the set allows for up to 13 days of check time. This grizzly could still be carrying the attached trap.

A family was sitting outside when they heard a loud snap and a cry. When they looked over their neighbor’s fence, they saw their pet cat in a kill-trap that had been set-up with cat treats. The family does not believe that this is the first time this has happened, as five of their cats have gone missing in the last year. An investigation is underway, and charges of animal cruelty could follow.

A distressed, injured dog caught in a coyote trap wandered around a neighborhood in Lexington County, SC, for five days before rescuers were able to confine her. The dog, now named Hermione, underwent initial surgery on her paw at a local animal hospital, before driving cross-country with rescuers to have additional surgery in Los Angeles.

A juvenile fox was caught in a leghold trap that broke free from the ground. It roamed around Hyde Park for days before finally being captured by a game warden and taken to a veterinarian. By then the leg was too damaged and infected, and the fox had to be euthanized.

Tanklin (“Tank”), a curious and adventurous family pet cat, was found dead in a small-game trap on a vacant property two days after going missing in Cortland, NY. It is against city regulation to set or use a leg-gripping trap of any kind or size, and this incident is currently being investigated by the Cortland Community Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A family four-wheeling along the Knik River in Anchorage, AK, found a bald eagle caught in a trap. They were able to free the eagle, but the eagle flew off before they could take it to a wildlife rehabilitator.

An 18-year-old man injured his arm in a Conibear trap that was set illegally near a playground in Coffee Creek Park in Chesterton, IN. The man saw the device and reached down to pick it up, not knowing what it was. Medics cut the trap off his arm, which was then splinted and wrapped.