A fox first sighted on Monday in Tranmere with a trap attached to one of its legs was finally tracked down at a busy shopping centre in Firle late yesterday and euthanased.
RSPCA SA spokesperson Carolyn Jones said the distressing situation further highlights the barbarity of traps that snap shut on animal’s limbs, tails and snouts. The trap in this instance is not the usual steel-jaw type found on animals and RSPCA inspectors believe it could be home-made.
“This poor animal has somehow managed to travel about two kilometres from where he was first seen, crossed a major road being Glynburn Road, and ended up in the carpark of this busy shopping centre – with this trap clamped on a front leg,” Ms Jones said.
“He was drifting in and out of consciousness and the trap had eventually severed his leg – the suffering this animal endured is horrific and we are just relieved that he is now out of misery.”
An RSPCA SA inspector, rescue officer and rescue volunteer rushed to attend from different locations when the report first came in. Staff at the shopping centre, located on Glynburn Road, had been attempting to feed the fox some ham and to provide water.
“Members of our rescue team have been trying to locate this fox since Monday, and so when this report came in at around 4pm yesterday, we had first responders on the scene as quickly as possible,” Ms Jones said.
“It’s been traumatic for everyone who was trying to help this poor animal.
“Our inspectorate and rescue team are receiving reports of about one animal a month caught in these devices, and these are just the ones being found.
“These kinds of traps are illegal to use because the suffering they cause is extreme, and the fact that they are turning up so often in suburbia is of great concern to RSPCA.”
Anyone with information in relation to this incident is urged to contact RSPCA immediately on: 1300 4 777 22
Anyone caught setting a steel-jaw trap faces immediate fines and a maximum penalty of $2,500. If an animal is caught in the trap, they could face charges for intentionally causing harm to an animal under the Animal Welfare Act, which has maximum penalties of $20,000 or imprisonment for two years.
