Horror as Aussie woman's cat caught in steel trap
An act of animal cruelty has left locals and authorities reeeling.
WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: A "distressed" pet cat is facing amputation after getting caught in a rusty rabbit trap near a popular Aussie beach.
The concerned owner of the cat has shared images of her beloved pet Remy, who dragged herself all the way home with her foot still in the steel-jawed trap. The pictures have shocked residents in the Sydney suburb of Malabar, with many pointing out how dangerous the device could be to children.
"Someone in Malabar set this trap that my cat got caught in," the woman posted online. "She managed to drag it by her caught paw home... Who in Malabar is setting these traps?"
NSW Police and Rescue attended the scene to release the injured feline, which was taken to a local animal hospital for care once freed.
"Vets are trying to save her leg but looks like it may need to be amputated. Just can't believe this happened in Malabar," the owner added in her Facebook post, before urging others in the area to take care "stay safe".
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"Imagine if a young child had been caught in this," replied one resident, echoing the sentiments of many other concerned locals.
Council takes action
Responding to the disturbing images, Randwick City Council Mayor Dylan Parker told Yahoo News that efforts will be made to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future. "This is very concerning. On my request Randwick City Council rangers are stepping up patrols in the area in response and have been tasked to search for any additional traps," Mr Parker said.
Plea to cat owners
Kristina Vesk of the Cat Protection Society said she was horrified by the incident. "This would have been an extremely painful and traumatic experience. We encourage cat owners to keep their cats confined to their property or indoors only," she said in a statement to Yahoo.
"Cats can live very happy and active lives indoors if they are given spaces to climb and retreat, toys and scratching posts. We have a wealth of information on our website about keeping cats happy indoors and information on DIY as well commercial enclosures. There is no excuse for cruelty to animals."
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