Horror as boy's cat loses leg to gin trap

REUNITED: Michele Heath, of Carterton, with Victoria the cat at South Wairarapa Vets in Carterton. Victoria had to have a leg amputated after being caught in what is believed to be a gin trap. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Inhumane way to snare any animal, says vet

A Carterton family are devastated their beloved cat lost a leg due to injuries believed caused by an illegal gin trap.

The 12-year-old moggy Victoria had been missing for three days and arrived home on Monday with a lame front leg, an injury consistent with being caught in a trap.

Owner Michele Heath said she and her family were "horrified" by Victoria's injuries.

"She came hobbling in our cat door last Monday and she was holding up her whole leg."

Her 14-year-old son, William, was particularly distressed, Mrs Heath said.

"My son's devastated because it's his cat. He's had this cat all his life ... we went and saw her yesterday afternoon and he got quite upset - he wasn't very happy."

It was unlike Victoria to stray far from the house on a four-hectare lifestyle block in the Waiohine Gorge.

She dreaded the thought that the trap might still be on the property or nearby.

Someone had probably released Victoria from the trap, because it would have been too difficult for the animal to free itself.

"We are just horrified that there's something like that because there's other neighbours around us that have domestic animals."

The family now face a bill of about $1000 for the operation that amputated Victoria's leg.

Senior clinician at South Wairarapa Veterinary Services Tony Noyes said Victoria's injuries appeared to have been caused by a gin trap.

"She had multiple fractures above the wrist of the sort consistent with a trap injury as well as having broken skin lesions," Mr Noyes said.

When the cat arrived for treatment it had a "floppy paw" that was 100 per cent lame and had to be amputated, Mr Noyes said.

Although likely to remain on painkillers for the next week, the cat was recovering well from Wednesday's operation.

Mr Noyes said that over the past five years he had occasionally seen other animals with similar gin-trap injuries.

He urged anyone using such traps to reconsider.

"They are creating a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering when there are much more humane ways of doing things," he said.

"Possum control is important for Wairarapa, TB control is important but there are ways and means of doing that and there are humane traps that are much less likely to cause injury.

"People don't have any business using that type of trap ... regardless of your views on the control of unwanted pests in the bush, it still has to be done humanely."

A spokeswoman from the Greater Wellington Regional Council said the council was trapping in the Waiohine area, but not beyond the SH2 bridge.

The council also used Timms traps, which were highly unlikely to catch cats, she said.

The Department of Conservation confirmed it had no traps in the area.

The use of gin traps was restricted by the Government in 2008.

Failure to comply is an offence punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $50,000 for an individual or up to $250,000 for a body corporate.

For more information on trap restrictions head to the website: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/animal-welfare/leg-hold-traps-brochure-sept-2011.pdf