Cruel steel traps could catch children

One family pet has already lost a foot and another narrowly escaped the same fate after two cats were caught in steel-jaw traps in just one week.

The first cat had been missing for nearly a week before its owner found it. The cat’s foot had to be amputated.

The second cat had only been missing overnight. Both cats were found close to home, on vacant land.

Veterinarian Paula Roberts treated both animals, and said she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen anything like it.

“I thought the one on Sunday was a one off, but after seeing another one (on Thursday) I thought ‘this isn’t right’,” she said.

“It could have been a child.”

Setting a steel-jaw trap, or owning one with the intention of setting it, carries a maximum penalty of 50 penalty points and six months imprisonment, under the Animal Cruelty Act.

“We know there were at least two traps, and there may be more,” Dr Roberts said.

“One of the owners walked around where they found their cat to check and couldn’t find any, but you just don’t know.

“You don’t usually see this in this area, we do get the occasional intentional poisoning, but there are so many other options if you have a problem with an animal.”