Don’t use leg-hold traps to control pests

I recently found an adult grey squirrel dead in my driveway. The squirrel looked well furred and healthy.

That is until I flipped him over and saw a front foot missing. The leg bone was all that remained. There was also much fur rubbed away from the leg area. In my teens I did a lot of trapping. Seeing this animal I realized this was a “twist-off.” This happens when an animal is caught in a leg-hold trap and twists or rips his leg off to get free.

Our neighborhood has had many squirrels “raiding” bird feeders lately. It appears that someone has decided to stop the “pests.” I ask whoever is using these illegal traps to stop now. This animal suffered terribly.

Jack Bellephine

Everett