The BC SPCA is advising the public against attempts at “DIY pest control” after someone on Vancouver’s west side captured a raccoon in a homemade electrified trap.
The SPCA said it was called by a member of the public in the Arbutus Ridge area on Nov. 15, who had discovered the animal in the trap after hearing it crying throughout the night.
The person eventually found the raccoon trapped inside a modified steel cat trap that was attached to an extension cord and reportedly had an electric current running throughout the metal.
The caller unplugged the trap and set the animal free before calling the SPCA.
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“The trap was set in the open, where it could have easily captured a cat or other animal, and the homemade electric modifications could easily fail, or harm an unsuspecting child or other person.”
The organization said people dealing with problem raccoons should first try and remove any attractants on their property, and if that doesn’t work to consult its best practices for raccoons.
It also advises members of the public against trapping and relocating animals, warning that animals often hurt themselves or die trying to escape traps, or end up separated from their young.