February 1, 2004 OR A red-tailed hawk was found caught in a leghold trap. His leg bone and flesh were severed. Oregon State police fined the guilty party for not having proper permits for the trap and for improperly baiting the trap. Other
January 22, 2004 Northern, ON A Black Labrador retriever survived 19 days in the bush with a wire snare digging into her neck. She was 20 pounds lighter and her teeth were worn down from gnawing at the retraining snare. Her veterinarian estimated that the snare was on the dog’s neck for three days, but somehow the dog made it home. Dog
January 17, 2004 Normanna Township, MN A few miles north of Duluth, an endangered lynx, “No. 10,” was caught in a snare set for a fox. Killing a lynx is a federal offense. The trapper called a local conservation officer who notified the U.S. Forest Service. Wildlife researchers took the wildcat to the Duluth Zoo, where a vet proclaimed him fit and the researchers promptly re-released him near where he had been trapped. Endangered Species
January 11, 2004 Webster Parish, LA A 16-year-old girl was caught by the foot in a trap set for beaver. The girl was wearing lace-up boots and was caught on the heel. She escaped without injury Human
January 9, 2004 New Athens, IL Suzy was not more than half-mile from her home by a lake, when she was caught in a snare placed illegally and without her guardian and the land-owner’s permission. Suzy suffered for 2 hours before she died. Dog
January 5, 2004 Nashville, TN A yellow lab named Holden was caught in a trap while being walked by a couple. The trap meant for beavers was on a farmland close to a gravel road. The trap clamped down on the dogs throat. The couple tried in vain to release the trap, but Holden died witin 2 minutes while being held by his guardian. Dog
October 29, 2003 Maui, HI A dog was caught in 1 of the 19 snares placed in Upcountry Maui to try and capture a large cat believed to be jaguar or leopard. After being released, the dog had 9 puppies. Dog
June 2, 2003 Charlottesville, VA Found with her kitten in a trailer park, Ella had suffered the traumatic loss of the leg while escaping the trap. The injury had scarred over, but she was treated by a veterinarian because she neglected her health to take care of her kitten. The trap owner was never found. This correspondent also reported: “Another incident happened long ago in Falls Church, VA but it was unforgettable; a dog named Ruby had her tongue severed by a steel-jaw trap. She recovered and adapted to life without a tongue.” Cat
December 30, 2003 ID A male wolf with ear-tags was captured in a leghold trap set for coyotes. The trapper called U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Idaho. The same wolf had been accidentally captured and released previously (12/19/03) also by a leghold trap. Other
December 26, 2003 Ft. Olgethorpe, GA The dog was killed at the scene. Holden’s guardians reported, “We struggled to release the trap but it was too late … He died in our arms and I saw fear in his eyes. I will never get that image out of my mind.” Dog