THE SICKENING and barbaric death of a cat caught for days in an illegal animal trap on the outskirts of Ludlow has sparked an RSPCA investigation that aims to catch and prosecute the trapper.
Green Eyes, an old ginger tom cat, was close to death when it was found frightened and distressed on a bridle path at Hayton’s Bent last week. His crushed leg was in the grip of a gin-trap.
It is believed the cat may have been dragging the steel trap for up to four days. It is not yet known where in Ludlow the trap had been laid.
Hayton’s Bent resident, Brian Lyons took the cat to Temeside Veterinary Practice at Casemill.
Vet John Thomas said: “The bottom half of his leg was gangrenous and very cold. I gave him a load of antibiotics and a load of fluids and planned to amputate the leg the next day. Unfortunately his condition was even worse in the morning and I had to put him down.”
“It suffered a horrific fate. The setting of these traps is incredibly barbaric.”
He has kept the body of the cat in deep freeze to assist the RSPCA investigation.
Jo Cunningham of the RSPCA said: “Gin-traps are an incredibly archaic and cruel form of trap that have been illegal for more than 50 years.
“Anyone found using them faces a six-month jail sentence and or a £5,000 fine if prosecuted under the Protection of Animals Act.”
“We are asking members of the public in and around Ludlow to help us track down whoever laid the trap.”
Green Eyes, an abandoned cat, had been fed and looked after for some months by resident of Stanton Lacy, Doris Hotchkiss.
“I knew something was wrong when he didn’t show up for his dinner for three or four days. The poor little chap did not deserve such an awful end to his life.”
