Dog owners warned after pet caught in fox trap

Published: 11 August 2020

Dog owners have been warned to be vigilant after a pet was lured into an illegal fox-trap at a popular walking spot in Exeter.

Fortunately the dog escaped unharmed and the incident has been reported to the police.

The incident happened in Ludwell Valley Park, close to the Wendover Way entrance. The owner of the dog said her pet was lured into the wire snare that was placed in a hedgerow, by a number of opened tins of dog meat. She had to crawl through undergrowth to set him free after she heard her pet crying for help.

She took her dog to have him checked out by a vet, as she was concerned that the food might have been poisoned. Fortunately the dog came back with a clean bill of health.

Devon Wildlife Trust, who manage the Park on behalf of Exeter City Council, said the snare was removed and the police notified. A search was carried out of the Park but no further snares or traps were found.

A spokesman for the City Council urged people using the park to keep an eye out for anything suspicious and to notify the police if they had any information about the incident.

“It’s shocking that anyone would want to harm an animal in this way, be it a fox or a dog. Hopefully this is a one-off occurrence but it might be sensible for dog owners to remain vigilant when walking their pets and ensure that they don’t wander off, in case there is a repeat of this incident,” he said.