Care and Control expresses concerns over traps

Published 5:19 pm Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Officers from Jessamine County Animal Care and Control responded to the area of Williamsburg Drive in Nicholasville for a report of a feline caught in a trap Sunday.

Officers arrived at the location and found a feline with a body gripping trap — a trap that is used to capture wildlife — clamped around its leg. The feline was still able to walk by dragging the trap, according to a news release from Jessamine County Animal Care and Control.

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Officers captured the feline and transported it to a local veterinarian where the trap was removed.

The veterinarian determined the trap had been attached to the feline’s leg for approximately one to two days, ending in damage that cost the animal two of its toes.

The feline should recover and Frank Ruggiero with Jessamine County Animal Care and Control said it will live out the rest of its days on a farm owned by the veterinarian who performed the surgery.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife lists this type of trap as a legal method and legal equipment for hunting furbearers, however, it is not a legal method to capture a free roaming or feral feline.

The Jessamine County Animal Care and Control department said in a statement it cannot stress enough that this type of trap is not a legal method to capture any domestic animal.

If anyone knows of someone using this method to capture a domestic animal, officials ask that they report them to the proper authorities immediately.

If anyone has any information about this specific incident on Sunday, Sept. 25, they are encourage to call Animal Care and Control at 859-885-4836.