Cat owner ‘sickened’ after pet injured by illegal snare

Shirley Malin, of Palmer Road, was distraught when her eight-year-old cat Disco returned home on Sunday with ripped ears, damaged paws and cuts to his mouth and above his left eye.

He had been missing for ten hours and he was still partially entangled in the device, which he had managed to dig out of the ground.

Miss Malin said: “It is scary to think about, if you are going to scare an animal throw some water at it don’t set an illegal snare.

“Cats are quite clever they wouldn’t just stick their head in a noose there must’ve been some food there to entice him.

“If people know about this then maybe they will think twice before they set another snare.”

Disco is not known for straying far from the house and Miss Malin fears the snare could have been set in someone’s garden.

The device, a stake with a length of wire attached, was large enough to catch a badger or a fox.

Miss Malin said: “It’s a lethal piece of equipment.

“It’s sickening, another animal or even a child might not be so lucky next time.”

The RSPCA is urging anybody who knows who set the snare to call its national cruelty and advice line.

Spokeswoman Judith Haw said: “The RSPCA is very concerned to hear a cat has been caught in an illegal homemade snare.

“Unless set in accordance with the law snares can be totally indiscriminate and any animal caught in these dangerous devices is likely to be seriously injured or killed.”

To contact the RSPCA call 0300 1234 999.