A cat caught in an illegal steel-jawed trap hung from a tree with one paw for three days before being rescued.
- A young red tabby cat, Ed, was stuck in a steel-jawed trap for 3-4 days.
- Ed was found trapped in his back right leg, which later had to be amputated.
- He is now recuperating at the RSPCA and waiting for his owner to come for him.
A cat has had its leg amputated after being stuck in an illegal steel tree trap for days.
Ed, a young ginger tabby, was discovered by a neighbor in Taperoo, Adelaide on Saturday after she heard him screaming from her home.
She found little Ed two meters away in a tree with a steel trap that had cut his right hind leg.
Ed, named by his rescuers, was found on Saturday by a neighbor balancing on a corrugated iron fence, his rear right leg stuck in a steel trap.
A neighbor rushed for a box in which young Ed could relax while waiting for help to arrive.
He was panting and exhausted as he balanced with one foot on the corrugated iron fence.
The trap was wedged into a fork in the tree with a chain wrapped around the branches so that Ed couldn’t move.
The owner of the site where the cat was found was not at home at the time of his rescue.
Steel jaw traps are illegal and owners face penalties including a maximum $20,000 fine or two years in prison.
The neighbor held the box under Ed until the Largs North Fire Department arrived to quickly cut the branches of the tree holding Ed and pull his paw out of the trap.
The worried neighbor ran inside to get the box, but by the time she returned, Ed had lost his balance and was hanging on to a pinched leg.
She held the box under the cat until the Largs North fire department arrived, who quickly cut the branches of the tree holding Ed and pulled his paw out of the trap.
By that time, an RSPCA rescuer had also arrived on the scene, taking Ed to the ER veterinarian.
An RSPCA rescue officer took Ed to an emergency veterinarian, where he was treated for a broken pelvis, dehydration, and a fever. Unfortunately, his stuck leg had to be amputated.
Ed was found hanging from a tree with his paw stuck in a steel trap in Taperoo, Adelaide (pictured)
RSPCA South Australian spokeswoman Carolyn Jones told Daily Mail Australia that Ed suffered serious injuries as a result of the ordeal.
“His temperature was over 40 degrees and he was suffering from dehydration,” she said.
“In addition to the broken leg, his pelvis is broken, probably because he was trying to free himself.
“Given the progressive infection in the trapped paw, the RSPCA SA veterinary team believes the cat was trapped three to four days before being rescued.”
Ed’s right hind leg was necrotic by the time he got to the vet and had to be amputated.
Now Ed is recovering, and the RSPCA continues to search for his owner – he did not have a collar and a microchip.
Unfortunately, when Ed was taken to the vet, the leg was already necrotic and had to be amputated.
Now Ed is recovering, and the RSPCA continues to search for his owner.
“He is doing well today after yesterday’s surgery and will have six weeks of cage rest to give his fractured pelvis time to heal,” she said.
“He is about two years old and has a friendly temperament, which indicates he could be someone’s pet.
“However, he is not chipped and does not wear a collar with any other identifying mark.”
Anyone caught setting a steel-jawed trap will receive a maximum fine of $2,500, while anyone caught with an animal in the trap could face a sentence of $20,000 or two years in prison.
Anyone with information is strongly encouraged to contact the RSPCA on 1300 477 722.