It was the fall of 2014. I was driving 15 mph with my dog, Toby, running behind to get his exercise. We were north of Pyramid Lake on BLM land. It was just luck that I slowed down at that time thinking to get out of my truck. Then I heard a scream. I followed the sound to find my Toby about 60 yards away, caught by the right rear foot in a trap. I tried immediately to open the trap and he bit me. But I managed to open the trap. There was blood on Toby’s face and my hands. I could see he had lost his two top canines from biting at the trap. But later I found out most of the blood was from the bait.
I saw another chain and another trap and could see the bait in a baggie on that trap. I contacted Nevada Dept. of Wildlife and was informed these traps were illegal because of the bait.
Toby was four years old at the time. His only injury was the loss of his canines. However he wouldn’t leave my side whenever we went out. I never thought about trapping before this happened to us. And I’ve often thought how lucky it was that I stopped the truck at that time. Had I driven further, would I have found Toby?
This happened about 35-40 years ago. We were living near Eureka. My dog usually went outside for short periods of time, always coming right back home. But one day she didn’t come back. My Dad went looking for her and found her trapped immediately outside our fenceline. She was already badly injured, having tried to bite off her paw. We got her to the veterinarian where the paw was amputated, but with lots of care, she survived. – Frances Wilde
[personal email] I live just outside Las Vegas, on the Kyle Canyon exit about 6 miles up the canyon. About the middle of January while on a trail ride my dog was caught in a trap less than 4 feet off of a trail, with the help of a friend that I was riding with we managed to release her and after making sure she was ok we continued on and 5 minutes later she has another trap hit her face, and the blow has caused permanent damage to her eye. I reported the incident to the police and they put my in contact with fish and game, who basically told me that I was breaking the law by removing the trap. I had no idea that trapping was legal in the area, as it is considered conservation area, and he was using a quad to place the traps which are illegal. I contacted the local news channel 13 who agreed to do a story on the traps which aired about 2 weeks later, the trapper agreed to remove his traps due to the bad press. And the neighbors dog on the same day as mine was caught in a trap while she was out jogging, they had to pay an $800 vet bill. I’ve lived in this area for 9 years and am horrified that they can trap so close to our homes and not notify anyone in the area, the laws need to be changed
Since passage of SB364, law now requires trapper ID or NDOW registration number on all traps set on public land. And the public has the right to disturb a trap that poses obvious risk.
Luna was trapped at the entrance to Mack’s Canyon area in southern Nevada. Her owner achieved a settlement with the trapper and believes trapper ID should be reinstated. Luna licked all the blood away before this picture was taken; she lost a lot of blood, but did recover.
Since passage of SB364, law now requires trapper ID or NDOW registration number on all traps set on public land. And the public has the right to disturb a trap that poses obvious risk.
Telephone Conversation May 3, 2015 and subsequent emails
I was returning home from my morning walk with a neighbor and my dog, Rocky,
on Friday, April 17th, between 9 and 9:30 a.m. Most of the lots in this
development are one acre. This lot is narrow and long, gaining access to the
Carson River. My backyard is fenced, with a 20’ side yard between my home and
the fence line, shared with the neighbor.
As I approached the street entrance of my driveway I heard what seemed to be
an animal in distress. After taking a moment to determine if it was bird or
other, I felt it to be a cat in trouble. I ran to the front door of my
neighbor’s and received no response. At this time I moved quickly to gather
tools and remove enough of the six foot tall fence boards to gain access to the
side yard of my neighbor to assist the animal. It is not unusual for cats to
roam in our neighborhood. I have had cats enter my house through the doggie
door, as one in particular would rest on the dining room chair, noticed on
several occasions. Another time much of my cat’s fur lay on the dining room
floor after an indoor battle, detected after returning home one evening. This
is when I decided to get him a buddy, and beef up the clan. There is not a
leash law in the county, though it is rare to witness dogs roaming freely,
without an owner close at hand.
The area that I was opening is approximately 800 sq. ft., and the fence line
is 20 feet from my home’s north facing wall. In this fenced area, separated
from his backyard, he has erected two rows of solar heating arrays that run
most of the 25 foot length enclosure. I would guess the panels to be set at a
45 degree angle, and I could not identify the reason of urgent cat cry from the
now open fence.
I dropped flat to the ground and crawled under the pool heating structures, to observe that it was one of my two cats. The weeds and underbrush made it difficult to know what had trapped my cat, until I was under the second array, in which I could understand that it was a foot trap. I was able to release her, and kept a distance to observe her gaining safety within my home. After closing down any outside access, I returned to the fence to retrieve my dropped phone.
Rocky perished in neighbor’s trap
As I lowered to the ground this time, I noticed my dog, Rocky, flat against
the ground, and I could not understand what he was so intent on. Again, the
understanding was not clear until I was under the second row of panels, and I
saw he was crushed by a second trap. I called my other neighbor, who in turn
called 911. Deputy Mike Mathews, with Churchill County Sheriff, was the first
to respond. He waited to enter the property, until making contact with the
owner, who was out of town for a few days. The Deputy then contacted animal
control, and fish and game. I requested to have my dog home, and the deputy
confessed that neither he, nor animal control knew how to release the trap.
My brother-in-law said that he would do it, so a call was made to the owner
requesting permission for my brother-in-law to enter and get Rocky. I later
spoke with my brother-in-law, Darrin, to be informed that there were a total of
four traps. One live, two foot traps (a #2 and #3), the fourth being a
conibear-type, all secured to the same stake, and a can of cat food used for
bait. My cat was trapped in the #2 foot trap, my dog killed in the conibear. I
do have a case number and my understanding is that it has gone to the District
Attorney to determine what the trapping rights are in this situation.
Mike, the Deputy on scene performed follow-up calls and visits to my
neighbors and family involved, and let me know during the visit that there is
much “grey” area in the laws of trapping. My animals were trapped on Friday,
the neighbors returned home on the following day, Saturday, to stage an evening
party for their newly wedded son. I stated some of my opinions before and
during the party. He stated that “he could call the sheriff, or we could talk
about it the following day.” He never made contact the following day. Very tall
A-frame ladders and a bright flood light seem to gather the attention at an
outdoor evening congregation of people. ; )
I have lost two deeply loved cats in the last year, and each time I have
taken a photo of the felines, with my contact information on back. Never has
this neighbor indicated a problem with animals, nor alerted me that he had set
traps that would endanger my loved ones. There were no warnings, verbally
expressed, or printed and posted.
-Celeste Mills
_______________
Subsequent email May 25, 2015
Hey Trish- You most certainly have my permission to use the photos I sent. I hope that the loss of Rocky and the injury to Topaz will aid in awareness to the cruel and “grey” areas our laws allow for trapping.
Topaz amputation
Topaz has lost three of her four toes. Her body discarded them over time, and they were removed with the first two dressing changes. I must say that I feared the worst for her foot, as the odor of dying tissue under her soft cast was quite strong for several days, which cleared after the second cast change. I think the vets (she was seen by 3 or 4 different doctors during the 5 trips) wanted to see what nature chose to remove, then they went in to aid the process and get a thorough inspection while she was under anesthesia. She still prefers to move on three feet, and pulls that back paw under when she is moving quickly. I was informed by the vet that she will have nerve sensitivity for awhile. I had lost a small amount of a finger tip 10 years ago and am just getting used to sensation with that digit. I can only imagine what discomfort her whole foot is going through as the nerves regenerate. She has the large (landing) pad, so that is a plus for her active life. I witnessed her go after a cat that came into the yard last week, so she has little fear for a cat challenge with her injury. The surgery brought her total medical bills up to $475.00, and I expect that is about it for Topaz’s severe injury. My neighbor has not spoken to me since all of this tragedy was revealed. I know that I released Topaz from a foot hold trap. My brother-in-law claims that the size is a #2, the smaller of the two foot hold traps that were set on the property. Best always- Celeste
