Animal rescue groups are renewing their calls for a province-wide ban on leg-hold traps, after a Canada Goose was caught in one on a Surrey golf course.
The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC said they were called to the Northview Golf and Country Club on Thursday. When they arrived, the animal was injured and in distress, suffering from four jagged cuts to her leg.
“A maintenance person just said ‘there’s the goose’ and then when they looked, the goose wasn’t in the leg-hold trap anymore and we don’t know whether it released itself or if a member of staff released it,” said Yolanda Brooks, the association’s communications manager.
The bird is expected to recover, however questions remain about who put the trap there, and why. Global News tried to contact Northview, but didn’t receive a response to our request for comment.
According to the Association for the Protection of Furbearing Animals, leg-hold traps are legal in this province. There are rules surrounding where they can placed and how they can be used, but those who care for injured animals say the traps simply don’t belong in B.C.
“I think it should be abolished,” said Elizabeth Melnick, founder of Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center. She said the traps cause the animals so much distress, some chew off their leg just to free themselves.
“I just feel sick when I hear it because there’s just no way out for these guys.”
The town of Gibsons has banned leg-hold traps. A campaign is underway pushing for a similar move province-wide, and advocates believe change is afoot.
“I think there’s momentum building towards banning these devices, certainly in communities and eventually, we hope, on a national scale,” said Camille Labchuk, executive director of the advocacy organization Animal Justice.
The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC said they have reported the incident to conservation officers.