Spring 2009 Told in person
I was hiking with friends in Pleasant Valley approx. 2 years ago. My dog Stella usually checks in with me every 90 seconds, but now she was missing. Two other dogs with us heard her whining and led us to her. She was under a tree and caught in a huge trap set in the roots — probably a mountain lion trap.
She was caught by the back foot. I couldn’t open the trap, so my friend called her husband who came with a car and a hacksaw.
We finally opened the trap. Stella was lucky as the vet told us later. Although all the hair was scraped off her ankle, no bones were broken.She limped for a few days after, now can run again. But the trauma will cause arthritis later in life.
My friend was furious. This was not far from a residential neighborhood. The traps (there were others) were covered with leaves and skunk scent. She wrote a Letter to the Editor warning the public.
“Keep your dog on a leash” is unrealistic. We all hike with our dogs.
