Cat caught in illegal steel trap in Burrillville, loses leg
8:41 AM Fri, Sep 25, 2009 | Permalink
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BURRILLVILLE, R.I. -- Animal control officers are investigating how a cat landed high up in a tree in the village of Pascoag, caught, severely injured, in a type of steel trap that has been banned in Rhode Island since 1977. "It's a horrible, cruel device that inflicts intentional pain and suffering on the animals," Animal Control Officer Ronald Woods said Friday morning, describing the trap. "They're brutal. They're barbaric." The cat has been treated since it was found a week ago and remains at the Northern Rhode Island Animal Hospital in North Smithfield, Woods said, where he is doing well after veterinarians tried to save his right rear leg, which had been caught in the trap. In the end, veterinarians needed to amputate the leg on Tuesday because the lack of blood flow and nerve damage made it impossible to save the leg, according to Deputy Animal Control Officer Kerry L. Courtemanche. 
Trapper recovers from his wounds
Decades ago, people trapped fur-bearing animals like mink, weasels, beavers and foxes with these steel jaw leg-hold traps, Woods said. But legislation passed in 1977 to ban them because they were cruel and inhumane, Woods said. 
The trap
A property owner contacted the town's Animal Control Office on the afternoon of Sept. 18, reporting that he had found a cat on his property, in a leg trap and hanging from a tree, according to Courtemanche, who was working that afternoon and responded to the area to help the animal. Courtemanche called the Fire Department right away for assistance, Woods said. They had to cut the metal chain attached to the trap and help remove the trap from the cat's leg. Animal Control Officers have named the short-haired black cat Trapper. They think he's about 2 years old, and they're still searching for his owner. He was in good physical condition except for his injury, Courtemanche said. Woods said they don't know how long the animal had been trapped. He was definitely in shock, but they don't think he had been there long because he was not dehydrated. They're accepting donations to cover the medical treatment for the cat, which will likely exceed $1,000, Woods said. Anyone wishing to make a donation can contact the Animal Control Office at 401-568-9480. In addition, Woods said his office is asking anyone with this kind of trap to turn it in to the Animal Control Office. "We'll take them -- no questions asked," he said. "They are illegal." The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible, according to the Burrillville Animal Control Office. Woods said a team of animal control officers and veterinarians makes the decision together in a case like this whether the animal can be saved. With this cat, which they believe is not feral and was probably someone's pet, the decision was to save the animal, in part because of its remarkable disposition. "It's definitely a saveable animal," Woods said. "And the cat is doing really well and already getting around after a couple days. The staff down there [at the animal hospital] is loving it. It's a lovable cat." 
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Where can donations be sent? RISPCA or the local shelter in Burriville? The story does not make it clear - or else I am particularly dense this morning :)
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Contact the Animal Control Office at the number listed in the article to make a donation.
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"It's definitely a saveable animal," [Animal Control Officer Ronald] Woods said. "And the cat is doing really well and already getting around after a couple days. The staff down there [at the animal hospital] is loving it. It's a lovable cat."
Really? An ACO who's been dealing with this situation for a week and calls this little guy "IT?" Having had volunteer experience with ACOs around this state, this is just another example of their lack of compassion for the animals in their jurisdiction! The cat is a MALE, for Pete's sake ... get with the program!
Trapper is a very lucky guy that the property owner found him; too bad the guy didn't happen upon those who set the trap on his property ... I hate to say it, but shouldn't the property owner be responsible for this? What if it was a child? Oh, wait, then it would be trespassing. My bad. However, what, IF ANY, punishment would the trap-setter been subject to?
Just awful, no matter how you look at it. All we can do is hope that SOME ONE learns a lesson from this, besides the cat/victim!
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EnoughIsEnough,
Please try to be sensible. Many people who love animals do not refer to them in gender terms.
And the property owner probably owns woods. He can no more keep idiots out of his woods than someone can keep out the air. Do you think a homeowner is responsible for damages a burglar does who breaks into his house?
Let's just be glad the cat was found and is getting help.
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