The Saskatoon SPCA is hoping someone can tell them how a steel-jawed hunting trap made its way into a city park and left a cat with a broken leg.
“It was a little disturbing to learn about a cat that had actually stepped into a steel-jawed leg-hold trap,” said SPCA shelter director Tiffiny Koback, adding that the traps have been banned in Canada since 2001.
“It’s considered one of the most inhumane methods of trapping any kind of animal.”
The black and white cat was spotted by residents Mark Johnson and Kelly Langdon on Monday night wandering the city’s Silverspring neighbourhood, near nature trails in the area, with its leg caught inside the trap.
The couple, who took a few pictures of the cat, were able to back the cat into a fence to prevent it from running away, but required help removing the trap.
“We immediately tried to just get (the cat) to somewhere where it wouldn’t run away so much,” Johnson said. “Then we tried to take the trap off but I couldn’t get it off, so we called my girlfriend’s dad and he came down. He pried it off while I took the paw out, and the cat started running again with a broken leg.”
The nature trails near where the cat was found are an area where people often walk their pets. Koback said residents should keep their eyes open for other traps.
“Certainly this could cause a lot of serious injury to a small child or anyone that might happen to step into this type of trap,” she said.
She also asked Silverspring residents to contact the SPCA if they see the cat, which escaped once its paw was removed from the trap.
The animal requires medical attention, Koback said.
Saskatoon police said they’re not investigating the incident because they have not yet received a complaint.
Koback said charges can be laid, under the criminal code and animal protection act, in instances where someone is intentionally harming animals.
