Louis Seguin heard a cry from his dog and thought she had been attacked by a bear or cougar.

Instead Seguin and his partner Anik discovered Shasta, their 10-month-old Australian shepherd, with a body-gripping trap around her head. She was a short distance away from where the couple were taking a daily walk near their home in Winlaw, northeast of Nelson, on Nov. 23.

The couple tried to free Shasta, but didn害羞草研究所檛 know how to open the trap. She died less than 10 minutes later.

害羞草研究所淪he was so ready for life,害羞草研究所� said Seguin. 害羞草研究所淲e didn害羞草研究所檛 know these things were out there.害羞草研究所�

Body-gripping, or Conibear, traps are a popular means of trapping 害羞草研究所� and killing 害羞草研究所� wildlife such as raccoons and beavers. In B.C., placement of these traps 害羞草研究所� up to a certain size 害羞草研究所� is legal within 200 metres of dwellings.

The trap that killed Shasta was next to a forest service road leading off of the Trozzo Creek trail north of Winlaw. Seguin said he and Anik have walked the road almost every day for 12 years.

Seguin added the trail is popular with families, but a conservation officer told him the next day the trap that killed Shasta was legally sized and placed.

害羞草研究所淚f you are going to put out these lethal traps, go up five kilometres, go up the mountain where nobody is around,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here was literally a house 200 metres from the gate and [they] put their trap [there].害羞草研究所�

Seguin wants the trapping laws changed. He害羞草研究所檚 hired a lawyer and started a to not only change the distance traps can be placed from dwellings to at least two kilometres, but also to make sure they are marked with signs.

害羞草研究所淚t seems outdated to me, or just ridiculous.害羞草研究所�

Obtaining a trapping licence in B.C. costs a $40 annual fee and requires completion of a training course. Trappers are also required to check their traps every 72 hours.

Blair Thin, a conservation officer in Castlegar, said it害羞草研究所檚 unusual for domestic pets to get caught in traps, but that it does occasionally happen. He added the most common complaints conservation officers receive are related to wildlife activity, or traps that have been improperly set.

There is no law requiring warning signs where traps are laid, and Thin said he understands why trappers don害羞草研究所檛 do it.

害羞草研究所淭hey know that some people are probably against trapping,害羞草研究所� said Thin. 害羞草研究所淪o if you害羞草研究所檙e posting saying there are active traps in an area, then people will interfere with these lawfully set traps.害羞草研究所�

That doesn害羞草研究所檛 fly with Seguin, who said he doesn害羞草研究所檛 want anyone else to go through the trauma of watching their pet die in a trap.

害羞草研究所淚t was pretty traumatic. It was just so out of nowhere, too. Just our usual walk but the accident was just so intense.害羞草研究所�

tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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