Search Trapping Incidents Database

Belle was killed by a Conibear trap. The trap was placed alongside a gravel road about 400 to 800 yards from homes, where people ride horses and she frequently walks with children and dogs. Horrified that people are allowed to set traps that can kill family pets, Belle’s guardian contacted the state Department of Natural Resources about the situation but no one has been charged with a violation. How do you explain to a 3-year-old that her best friend won’t be here to play with her any more?

While hiking on Mount Agamenticus, a man heard some “serious barking — screaming, basically” from his dog. When he got to his dog, he found a metal trap on her paw. Although the man said he quickly figured out how the trap worked, freeing his dog was a more serious issue. “It took so much strength to get it off,” he said. His fellow hiker went for help. Two hours later animal control and police officers arrived and got the trap off her paw. The device that caught Scaredly was a leghold trap, designed to catch small animals such as muskrats, and baited with a bagel. The trap was not labeled, as is required.

A woman walking her dog in Hasse Lake Provincial Park spotted the trap. Fearing it could be dangerous for children or dogs, she tried to disable it by fiddling with some levers on the back, but it clamped shut on her hand. Two fishermen managed to pry the trap open. She managed to escape without any broken bones, but she says she plans to ask both the county — which has confirmed it owned the trap — and the provincial government why the trap was there without warning signs.

A woman riding horseback on state land sensed her dog was in trouble. Fearing he may have encountered a wolf, she rode home to get her husband before investigating. By the time they returned, the dog was dead, caught in a Conibear trap. The trap was set by an unlicensed trapper.

A dog was caught in a Conibear trap. The trap was set legally in woods where children often play.

While pheasant hunting, a group legally entered un-posted land next to a creek/drainage ditch, on a bridge over a gravel road. Almost immediately, Toby started bawling in pain. His right front foot was caught in the trap. Also, Ray, one of the elderly hunters, was caught in another trap while trying to help release the dog. There were 4 or 5 illegal traps all set on land around that culvert and just off the gravel road. None were marked with any identification or flags. Fortunately, members of the group were able to release the dog and hunter from the 2 traps. They tripped the others so no other people or dogs would get injured. The dog was okay and hunter was bruised, but okay. It probably took 15 minutes to release the dog and hunter, “with a lot of struggle”.

A homeowner found the cat in a tree, with what appeared to be a mouse trap on his left hind leg. He called the Eric County SPCA. By the time the investigator arrived, the man managed to rescue the cat from the tree and confine him in a large box. But the cat’s leg wasn’t injured by a mouse trap after all. The cat had a leghold trap affixed to his hind leg, leaving only torn flesh and more than three inches of exposed bones. He was rushed to the SPCA’s Tonawanda shelter infirmary, where the leg was amputated. Shelter personnel were confident that “Trapper,” as they named him, would reach a full recovery.

Santini was lured to a bucket baited with meat inside and the Conibear trap. “It was about 12 inches by 12 inches and it clamped down around his neck,” said Santini’s caregiver. The trap that killed Santini is legal in Maryland, but it is supposed to be tagged and only used sunken in marshy areas to catch muskrats. This trap was set illegally.

Taking advantage of the first warm Sunday of the year, a man took his two dogs for a walk in the Rock Creek drainage. He stopped to study some recent beaver activity, with both dogs within 10 yards or less, “doing what dogs do. Suddenly I heard this loud snap.” That sound was immediately followed by a gurgling, strangled kind of noise. “It was a horrible sound. I knew something had happened.” Cupcake had disappeared over the creek’s bank onto a gravel bar just a few steps away, only to be caught in a Conibear trap that was choking him. The man was unable to get the trap off and watched Cupcake die in less than 30 seconds. The trap was set illegally. The 70-plus-year-old trapper was “very remorseful” and has since pulled his traps.

10 year old pet dog caught in trap on a well-traveled road.