Why trapping season can be a deadly time for dogs

A Kamloops, B.C., dog trainer is urging pet owners to equip themselves to avoid potential tragedy if their off-leash pets encounter a snare trap in the woods.

Trappers are registering and setting their lines for the fall and winter season on B.C. Crown lands that are also prime spots for hikers and dog walkers.

Mike Ritcey, who heads a non-profit search-and-rescue dog group, told Daybreak Kamloopsthatregistered trap lines cover areas of Crown land all across the province. Trappers are motivated by high demand and prices for coyote pelts, which can fetch $200 each, he said.

"Chances are you're not going to run into one.But every year you hear about people running into traps,"Ritcey said.

A B.C. environment ministry spokesperson says the Conservation Officers Service does not track reports of dogs injured or killed by traps.

There is no formal requirement for trappers to post warnings about the location of trap lines. However, the B.C. government and the B.C. Trappers Association encourage them to post "active trapping" signs during the season to warn pet owners and other recreational users.

Where notices are posted about active trap lines, Ritcey said, it's advised to keep dogs on leash or avoid the area. Trappers avoid posting exact trap locations to avoid theft of pelts or damage to traps, he said.

It can be hard to spot a snare, the trap most commonly encountered by dog walkers. It's a fine wire loop which tightens around the animals neck.

"You can probably get a snare out there for, you know, a couple of dollars, and they're very devastating," Ritcey said.

"They're designed to kill an animal, and if people are out walking their dogs they have to be aware of how to get their dog out of this."

How to free your dog from a snare

Ritcey said dog owners should carry wire cutters at all times on hikes.

He saidowners should leash their dog, which will likely be panicking, before cutting the snare wire off the tree that holds it.

After that, the tight loop around the dog's neck should be snipped.

Ritcey's non-profit group, Search, Rescue, Detection Canines of B.C., plans a talk Nov. 29at Thompson Rivers University to help dog owners protect their pets from snares and other types of traps.

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With files from CBC Daybreak Kamloops