A wildlife protection group is asking residents to use other methods when trying to get rid of animals near their property after a raccoon chewed off its own paw after it was caught in a “cuff-style” trap.
The raccoon was found with its paw stuck in the trap by a Burnaby resident near Norland Avenue.
The raccoon was eventually rescued by the Critter Care Wildlife Society. After being freed from the trap, the critter was treated and given pain medication so that staff could perform an x-ray the next day.
Use the slider to see the raccoon’s injury. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGERY
(Credit: Critter Care Wildlife Society)
But the raccoon chewed off its own paw overnight and had to be euthanized.
“Why he continued to chew off his limb after he was released we’re not sure. It may have just been excessive pain,” said Adrian Nelson with the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals.
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He said that even though cuff-style traps are legal, residents shouldn’t be taking matters into their own hands.
“Whoever set it, was obviously targeting a raccoon,” Nelson said.
But he said it will be very difficult to know who set up the trap as people don’t need a license to purchase them.
“The raccoon was found dragging the trap, it had been caught up in some hockey netting and garbage and a bunch of other stuff, so it’s hard to say where he came from, but it couldn’t have been from very far,” Nelson said.
He said people should contact wildlife management companies if they are experiencing issues with animals.
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