Moorabool council is investigating after a Bacchus Marsh cat was caught in an illegal steel trap and had one of its legs amputated.
Sebby went missing from his owner Erin Armstrong’s Steele Court home on Tuesday, April 19.
The two-year-old was found by a neighbour five days later in an alleyway close to home with a steel jaw trap clamped shut on his front left foot.
Ms Armstrong told Star Weekly she was “mortified” when council rangers called her to tell her Sebby, who was microchipped and registered, was at a Bacchus Marsh vet clinic in “not the best situation”.
“It could have been a child, a person could’ve stepped on that thing and caused this massive damage. Regardless of whether it’s for ferals or rabbiting, it’s cruel.”
“I was worried about the worst things happening to Sebby,” Ms Armstrong said.
“One of the things my husband said was that he’s probably been baited… but we never thought it’d be a steel trap.”
Ms Armstrong says that despite Sebby’s resilience, he no longer has the carefree nature he showed before the incident.
“He’s had to learn a lot of things again, certainly jumping. He can’t jump off anything now without thinking about it; he’s really not too keen. Even being outside, he’ll be wary. He’s not the same cat he was before and, yeah, it totally makes me sad.”
She’s urging the community to be vigilant, and says she’s “absolutely mortified someone thinks that’s an acceptable thing to do”.
“Like somebody on Facebook pointed out, a lot of people use that area. It could have been a child, a person could’ve stepped on that thing and caused this massive damage. Regardless of whether it’s for ferals or rabbiting, it’s cruel.”
Moorabool council community safety officer Shannon Walsh said the steel trap was likely clamped shut on Sebby’s foot for several days, crushing his bones.
“Although there might be people out there who find cats a nuisance, the use of these barbaric traps is an act of animal cruelty and will not be tolerated in our community,” Mr Walsh said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact council on 5366 7100.
Steel traps, also known as leg-hold traps, are illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Anyone found guilty of setting up traps, or using them, could face fines of up to $36,800 or two years’ imprisonment.
