Who in their right mind with any sense of compassion can ever embrace or condone this inexcusable barbaric cruelty?
There are very few things in life that make me rage post, but this is one. We need your help.
This is Arlo. Arlo is a Great Pyrenees who got his paw caught in a steel jaw trap 2 weeks ago. He was finally caught last night. This dog’s suffering has been immense. He has chewed off most of his foot trying to free it from the jaws of this monstrosity. He is weak, he has a raging infection in this and he will have to endure an amputation to save his life. I have posted a clear picture of his mangled foot in the comments because it’s so graphic it will make people lose their minds if it pops up in a feed. This was doubtless aimed at a coyote, but the inherent cruelty of doing this to any animal must be stopped.
Tomorrow, he will have surgery. He joins two other dogs in intensive care (Ellie with pancreatitis and Jamison with pneumonia). This was not in the budget, but I would pull out my own toenails before I said no to this dog.
Say a prayer for all of them.
PS I’d like to give a huge shout out to the folks in WV who got him to safety and the emergency vet. But for them, he would never have had a chance to even meet the orthopedic surgeons who will amputate.
PPS Depending on the scope of the infection and damage to the remainder of the bone, we are planning to have him fitted with a prosthetic front leg.
The cruel act of trapping never rests. Share it and spread the awareness of this barbaric act!
While the trappers wait in the comforts of their home in anticipation and hopes for their endless and lucrative victims…….Thankfully, decent caring people don’t rest!
Trapping and the use of snares are legal year round in Montana. Coyotes are completely unprotected and no $29 trapping license is even required. Coyotes can be killed in unlimited numbers, by any and all means and are not required to be reported.
Bills in Montana 2019 legislature that lead to ethical practices regarding animals such as coyotes, inc one of TFMPL bills, have failed.
We hope this poor guy, a mate and the sire of a family, enjoyed by a human family for years, makes it. We are guarded given the destruction these deadly and inexpensive cables known as snares cause.
The creator must have kept a close eye on this song dog as his family awaits.
Hang in there fella! Hope you never again know the cruelty of our kind.
Article below originally publicshed from Toronto Wildlife Center by Brittany Seki.
Father Coyote’s Life Hangs By Thread After Rescue From Kill Snare
The coyote took a few nimble steps and stopped, standing in the snow wheezing painfully as the kill snare hung from his neck. The wire cut deep into his throat, partially strangling the weakened animal – he could barely breathe. He had become trapped in a neck snare that had been improperly anchored, which was the only reason he was able to pull himself free – but the wire was still wrapped tightly around his neck. Tears came to Ann’s eyes when she saw the poor coyote on her property in Fort Erie. He, along with his mate and five young, had been welcomed visitors in her yard for over 3 years. She had seen him a week prior with what she thought was a branch hanging from his fur, but days later the coyote seemed thin and lethargic; she realized to her horror it was a snare. When she saw the father coyote – who she named Faith – in such a traumatic state she had to get him help! She was very concerned about him, and the fate of his family.
Lesley from Coyote Watch Canada received the emergency call, and knew to contact TWC to rescue the severely wounded coyote. It was a race against time to save this animal’s life.
“I had trouble trying to fathom what happened to him,” said TWC’s Rescue team leader Andrew. Hotline staff had notified Andrew about the dire situation, and they discussed the best plan to capture the injured coyote. Andrew gathered a team of seven people: experienced rescue volunteers Sara and Harry, Lesley and Becky from Coyote Watch Canada, and Ann and her husband Fred. Faith was terrified and hiding in a wooded lot, while Andrew called out instructions to the team who circled around the coyote. They each got close enough to hear Faith gasping desperately for air. Andrew began carrying out a technique to encourage the coyote to submit for a smooth capture, and in his weakened state Faith lowered his head and lay down in the snow. As they approached the coyote attempted one last escape, stretching his body out and jumping under the branches of a nearby tree, crouching low to the ground.
Andrew quickly placed a Y-pole over him so he wouldn’t escape, and then some of the rescuers held Faith down gently but firmly. Andrew used three different tools to carefully cut the inhumane snare off the coyote’s badly wounded neck, and then gave Faith some time to calm himself before making the two hour drive to the wildlife hospital. TWC staff and volunteers were buzzing with shock and concern after he arrived – how could anyone cause this much suffering for an animal!? Senior Wildlife Rehabilitator Heather carefully cleaned and treated the severe gash around his neck, but was devastated to find the snare had cut half way through his trachea. After initial emergency treatment, Faith was moved to oxygen caging to help stabilize him.
Now in TWC’s care, Faith’s life hangs by a thread. He is weak but struggling to survive. Everyone at TWC is devastated by the serious damage and suffering this infuriatingly legal but inhumane trap caused this innocent animal – the tight wire had sliced into Faith’s throat and cut half way through his trachea. TWC’s medical and rehabilitation teams are doing everything they can to reduce this poor coyote’s pain, mitigate infection and help him breathe.
Executive Director Nathalie Karvonen and Head Veterinarian Dr. Heather Reid have spoken at length about Faith’s condition and the best plan to save him. “This is not a common injury,” Dr. Reid said, expressing her concern to Nathalie. “It’s a ‘once in a vet’s career’ type of injury.” They decided a veterinary specialist experienced with tracheal injuries was needed to surgically repair the serious damage caused by the horrible kill snare. The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. We are all rooting for Faith; that he will survive, recover and can return to his family in the wild.
Update on the surgery
“All of us at TWC are so happy to say Faith’s surgery was a success! We are just waiting for him to wake up before bringing him back to TWC for post-surgery treatment and recovery. “
It may seem so awful to say but this is one very lucky dog. In response to the lengthy suffering leghold traps cause, Conibear traps are body crushing and were designed to be quick kill.
In all our years, we only know of 3 dogs that survived a conibear trap. You only have a few minutes to try to free your dog from death. We are thinking this pooch entered his head to the side and in such a way not to crush his trachea.
This is realty though of trapping. No animal is excused from it. Trappers though are excused while everybody else pays the dreadful price.
“It was a situation that was awful to contemplate, and especially hard to see depicted in photographs, but one that veterinary staff from the Walden Animal Hospital dealt with promptly and compassionately.
Late last week a woman in the Whitefish area named Theresa shared a distressing post on social media concerning a coyote she had seen in her yard that appeared to have chewed off both its hind feet after being caught in a trap or snare.”
Witnessing so many favored 2019 legislative bills in Montana against wildlife, acts of humanity are truly refreshing!
Even if they are happening elsewhere.
Described as “tough, extremely clever and with a good stamina”. “The wolf is a survivor. It is brave for protecting its family and territory from other wolves. Wolves respect their parents and love their family. Wolves appreciate privacy – they want to be left alone. The wolf is also charismatic. All these qualities are the reasons why the wolf is suitable for symbolizing Estonia and Estonians as a national animal.”
On November 25, 2018, Roxy strangled to death in a trap on public land.
The incident happened at Santa Cruz Lake, a Bureau of Land Management recreation area in northern #NewMexico. Roxy, was the cherished companion of Dave Clark and his wife Kathrina of Española. Mr. Clark and Roxy were finishing their hike and returning to his vehicle when he heard Roxy, behind him, make a strange sound. When he turned to see why, he saw that she was struggling in a neck snare trap.
Mr. Clark was unable to loosen the snare before Roxy strangled to death in the trap.
More innocent victims of snares in Montana. Snares are a favorite of trappers since they cost only a couple of dollars. Some trappers are pushing for more snares to be set and left unattended across our landscape wanting snares to be legal to trap wolves. Never mind the suffering or who they strangle, wolf, mountain lion, dog. This dog was lucky it appears it shut around the dog’s snout and not the dog’s neck.
Louis Seguin heard a cry from his dog and thought she had been attacked by a bear or cougar.
Instead Seguin and his partner Anik discovered Shasta, their 10-month-old Australian shepherd, with a body-gripping trap around her head. She was a short distance away from where the couple were taking a daily walk near their home in Winlaw, northeast of Nelson, on Nov. 23.
The couple tried to free Shasta, but didn’t know how to open the trap. She died less than 10 minutes later.
Update on Ralphie another recent Montana victim of trapping. He is reportedly doing well and adjusting to the amputation of his leg managing to learn how to play and keep up. Look at that sweet face! No animal should have to go through this!
It is unknown if the trap, or most likely a snare, was set illegally on private land. Ralphie ran off to play with another of the family dogs on Wednesday morning but did not return with her. He was finally found on Friday. His distraught and searching owner said, “if the trapper had only checked his trap on Wednesday or Thursday, Ralph, trapped and unable to return home might not have had to lose his leg.”
One of our bills for the Montana legislature requires 24 hr trap checks. Only with 2 exceptions, we have NO required time frame trappers need to check their traps and snares so animals can suffer trapped legally for days, even weeks.
Thanks to decent and caring people, our supporters donated $1,000 to our affiliate, Trap Free Montana, towards Ralph’s vet bill. Trappers $0.
His owner has expressed her tremendous gratitude to all of you who helped! We also want to thank the Veterinary Clinic for all their treatment and care of Ralphie.
Montana Trappers Association has probably 10 times the amount of funds we have. This is blood money from the profits they received from the trapping, suffering, and destroying of your wildlife. When will they ever contribute to all the monetary costs they cause?
Sorry, Ralph, you won’t be able to run and play like you use to but glad you are alive and as animals always are, forgiving of our kind.
