Advertisement

'He was covered in blood': Owner traumatised as pet dog crushed in fox trap

A woman has been left traumatised after seeing her family pet crushed in a fox trap.

Paddy the Labradoodle broke his own teeth trying to escape from the trap, which had been set in the Perth hills.

The dog survived, and the City of Kalamunda has removed the devices, but Paddy’s owner says her beloved pet is still in shock.

Four days ago the canine was caught in the trap on a path at a Kalamunda reserve.

Paddy the Labradoodle broke his own teeth trying to escape from a fox trap. Source: 7 News
Paddy the Labradoodle broke his own teeth trying to escape from a fox trap. Source: 7 News
Fox traps like these are set in Kalamunda reserves for two weeks of the year, the local council says. Source: 7 News
Fox traps like these are set in Kalamunda reserves for two weeks of the year, the local council says. Source: 7 News

“He was covered in blood, the owner had been bitten, it was fairly horrific for the family,” Kalamunda vet John Houghton said.

The council said signs are erected when fox traps are set, which only happens for two weeks a year.

But Paddy’s owners say there are not enough signs and they are not prominently displayed.

Paddy’s owners say the warning signs are not prominent and there are not enough of them. Source: 7 News
Paddy’s owners say the warning signs are not prominent and there are not enough of them. Source: 7 News
The dog is still in shock, according to the traumatised family. Source: 7 News
The dog is still in shock, according to the traumatised family. Source: 7 News

The traps are specifically designed for foxes and are non-lethal but dogs and cats can get caught.

That’s why the council warns pets should be kept on leads.

Contractors lay the traps at five reserves in Kalamunda because native wildlife is under serious threat from foxes, but the traps were not put on walkways.

How the trap ended up on a walkway is not known.

A dog was caught in a similar trap in Warwick last year. Source: 7 News
A dog was caught in a similar trap in Warwick last year. Source: 7 News

A similar thing happened to a pet dog in Warwick last year.

The City of Kalamunda told 7 News it has removed the traps while it investigates the incident.