Libby, Montana
An Australian shepherd caught in a leghold trap set for bobcat was just found and released by a former trapper, Robert, in Libby. Robert filmed the release and expressed his anger at the trapper for being so irresponsible and for not checking his traps. The dog was apparently trapped for days. FWP determined though all was legal so no charges were filed. Montana Trappers Association went after Robert threatening him and he took the video down. Below is another video, Robert did. Robert wants to help us achieve 24 hr trap checks and supports our other bill for mandatory trapper education! The trapper responsible has not offered to pay any of the medical expenses for the dog and the dog’s owner has not been found.
‘Very Hard To Watch’: Deer Dragging ‘Leghold Trap’ Seen in New Canaan
December 12,2018 – New Canaan, Connecticut
Officials say they’re concerned for the welfare of a deer that appears to be dragging a “leghold trap” from one of its hind legs.
The young buck dragging the trap was spotted Tuesday on Pequot Lane, according to Officer Allyson Halm, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section.
Sources / References:
‘Very Hard To Watch’: Deer Dragging ‘Leghold Trap’ Seen in New Canaan
Maria, the little dog, missing, caught in a trap overnight
Helena, Montana
Maria, the little dog, missing, caught in a trap overnight, on a popular Helena trail makes the nightly news. Maria broke three teeth biting frantically at the trap trying to escape. Imagine her terror and bitter cold being trapped exposed to the elements overnight and injured after apparently trying to run down the familiar trail back to the car.
We have no mandatory trap check time intervals and no mandatory trapper education. Trappers can legally set as many traps and snares as possible and leave them unattended and unchecked for days, even weeks. The only exceptions are for traps set for wolves require 48 hr visual checks and sets for bobcats in designated lynx protection zones. Although the trap and nearby snare found were illegally set, anyone can trap in Montana no educational training required. Trap Free Montana Public Lands is working to change all that! Stay tuned!
Note trapping is legal year round in Montana!
The traps were illegally set along this popular trail in Helena. A snare, which easily strangle animals to death, was found nearby.
After removing the untagged, illegal traps, the FWP warden left a note for the trapper. No reflection on the game wardens but this is what enforcement of our limited regulations looks like for trapping. It is hidden, secreted, no training, no education, no testing required and only the trapper knows their whereabouts. Heck Montanans don’t even need to purchase a $29 trapping license to trap! The license is only required to trap some species. The indiscriminate damage trapping does, legal or not, is then either stumbled upon, inflicted on the public and their pets or bragged about on social media. Do the trapper’s get caught breaking the law? Rarely, very very rarely. And even then, some are not charged.
Representative Bob Brown has submitted a bill for the Montana legislature to reimburse trappers. For what? Where is a bill to reimburse the petowner’s medical expenses for their trapped animals and worse, for the deaths of them courtesy of trapping?
To read more on the illegal traps that harmed this little dog:
Game wardens seize illegal traps near Helena after dog gets caught at popular hiking area
Dog was caught in a illegal leg hold trap near Helena, owner cautions
69-year-old man charged after cat in trap kicked into pond
November 30,2018 – Tippecanoe County, Ind.
The Tippecanoe County Prosecutor has charged a man in connection to a video of a cat being drowned.
According to police documents Walter Baldwin admitted to trapping a cat in an animal trap in Tippecanoe County. He also admitted to taking the animal to a local pond, where the cat was allegedly kicked into the water by another person.
Baldwin told police he and that person didn’t want to shoot the animal because it would create a bloody mess. He also told police the video was taken on Thanksgiving Day.
An arrest warrant has been made for Baldwin, according to the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office.
Sources / References:
69-year-old man charged after cat in trap kicked into pond
3 wolves found caught in traps, DNR investigating 1 shot in head
November 27, 2018 – Upper Peninsula, Michigan
DNR conservation officers and wildlife biologists have responded to recent reports of three wolves accidentally caught in foothold traps. Of those three wolves, two were freed and one was found dead, shot in the head before officers could release it.
An investigation into that wolf’s death is ongoing.
Details of the trapped wolves were contained in Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports filed by conservation officers in the last month.
Sources / References:
3 wolves found caught in traps, DNR investigating 1 shot in head
Lawsuit filed by Kamloops man over dead dog “has merit,” animal advocate says
November 23,2018 – Kamloops
An animal advocacy group says there’s some teeth to a lawsuit filed by a Kamloops man over his dead dog.
Burke Nesjan’s two-year-old dog died in his arms on Nov. 14, 2017, after its neck got stuck in a hunting trap next to the Darlington Forest Service Road, north of Kamloops.
In a notice of claim filed on Nov. 7 in Kamloops court, Nesjan says he was driving to work with his dog, a two-year-old purebred Akita named Kuma, and stopped at a pullout 29 kilometers down the forest road to let his dog out.
Sources / References:
Lawsuit filed by Kamloops man over dead dog “has merit,” animal advocate says
Poor abandoned terrified kitty found in a leghold trap in the city of Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
The Dodo Tells Bear’s Story!
March 28, 2018 – Sarah V Schweig
Cat Found In Wolf Trap Gets All The Head Scratches He Wants Now
Update March 19, 2018
Just over a week ago, we didn’t know if Bear would pull through or if it would be deemed best for Bear to try and see.
Look how far Bear, this poor abandoned terrified kitty found in a leghold trap in the city of Great Falls, Montana, has come in just less than a week after his amputation! When found, he was in pretty bad shape and just so fearful of people.
Bear has discovered that there are good people, those that will help and not hurt him anymore. Clearly, he is loving it!
His case is now under investigation by the Great Falls city police. According to Sgt. Wells, “There are several possible laws that could pertain to the case, including animal cruelty and setting a trap in the city limits.” His case might be rare but not the first in the city. Also, where there is one trap, you can count on it that there are more.
TFMPL is offering funds that exceed Bear’s medical costs as a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of his trapper. Otherwise, the additional funds will be held for future trapped victims in need of financial aid for medical care.
To all our wonderful supporters that contributed to us to cover Bear’s medical costs, you are a very big part of this once tragic but now increasingly positive story!
Keep up the good progress, Bear! When you are all healed, that extra special home for you is sure to be found!
This poor cat was found Friday night, March 9, 2018, lying in the road. The woman and her daughter who found him thought he was dragging a snake. She told us they never see cats around anymore. Upon closer discovery, they were horrified, never imagining it was a chain to a leghold trap. This was within the city limits of Great Falls, Montana, completely illegal and about a block and a half from a public playground.
Nicknamed “Bear” by staff, three days later, no one had claimed him at the City of Great Falls Animal Shelter.
Trap Free Montana Public Lands offered to cover Bear’s medical costs, knowing he almost definitively would need his mangled trapped leg amputated if he was to survive. We did not want the costs in any way to be a factor in determining this poor frightened and abandoned injured cat’s fate.
WARNING: Viewer discretion
We were delighted, relieved and yet worried when we received the call from the shelter, Tuesday morning, that Bear was going into surgery!
The day after his front leg was amputated, we were told Bear was resting comfortably on antibiotics and pain medications and eating, well you know, like a bear! Good sign! When appropriate, Bear will be up for adoption for that extra special place where he will be loved, cared for and only know kindness hereon from humans.
Bear has also made the news. His suffering hasn’t been in vain by helping increase awareness of the undeniable and indiscriminate cruelty that’s inherent in trapping.
Leghold trap catches domestic cat in Great Falls
Trapped Great Falls cat named Bear hanging on after leg amputated
From our facebook post his story, too, had reached over 20,000 in less than 24 hours and was shared well over 200 times.
To the best of our knowledge, Bear’s trapper is still out there perhaps trapping. Maybe the trapper is even mad believing someone stole his/her trap. Well we know who had little option but to take it. Bear! We haven’t received any word back from Montana FWP on the status of any investigation.
Thank you to Gisela, her daughter, animal control, the shelter, veterinary clinic and all who have helped including those who have already made a monetary contribution to us to help poor Bear!
Any funds received exceeding his costs, will be earmarked for future trapping victim’s medical needs.
Family dog killed in animal trap set near home
November 20,2018 – Dundalk, Ontario
Winston, their playful 4 year old gentle giant, beloved family member, killed courtesy of trapping. These horrific occurrences are unforgettable and unforgivable for families and friends, yet they continue, including legally. Traps and snares are secreted, baited and unattended thereby causing indiscriminate destruction. Conibear traps are body crushing, very difficult to open and are designed to be quick kill. Unfortunately, the heavy trapping season is just beginning. Where there is trapping, there will be more pets and suffering to come.
Our heartfelt sympathies to this family.
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Family dog killed in animal trap set near home
Wolf dies after capture in Minnesota for relocation to Isle Royale
September 29,2018 – Houghton, Mich.
Officials say a gray wolf captured in Minnesota for relocation to Isle Royale National Park has died.
The National Park Service plans to move 20 to 30 wolves from the U.S. and Canadian mainlands to the Lake Superior wilderness park in the next few years to rebuild a once thriving population.
A 4-year-old female and a 5-year-old male were successfully flown there from the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in Minnesota and released earlier this week.
But the park service said Friday night that another female died “despite the best efforts of the attending veterinarians” after being trapped, sedated and driven to a holding facility for a medical exam.
Sources / References:
Wolf dies after capture in Minnesota for relocation to Isle Royale
Mangled raccoon caught in Vancouver-area trap sparks reward for information
September 20,2018 – Vancouver
An animal rights organization wants to track down the person responsible for trapping a B.C. raccoon and mangling its leg so badly that it had to be put down.
The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals is offering a $1,000 reward for any information about an incident the last week of August where a raccoon was found near Mount Leham in Abbotsford, with its leg caught in a trap. Critter Care Wildlife Society confirmed it treated a raccoon that had been caught in a trap in the Abbotsford area on Aug. 31, 2018.
Sources / References:
Mangled raccoon caught in Vancouver-area trap sparks reward for information