Animal Abuse: Cat caught in steel-jawed trap-euthanised - Darling Downs, QLD

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Case ID: 17234

Classification: Other

Animal: cat

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Case #17234 Rating: 1.0 out of 5

Cat caught in steel-jawed trap-euthanised
Darling Downs, QLD (AU)

Incident Date: Thursday, Oct 21, 2010

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Rocco Raso

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A 62-year-old man will face the Armadale Magistrates Court today over claims his neighbour's cat got caught in a steel-jawed fox trap on his property and had to be put down.

Rocco Raso, of Darling Downs, was charged by an RSPCA inspector with one count of animal cruelty on October 21, last year.

The cat was put down that day by a Maddington vet and a post mortem examination later revealed the cat's left paw was crushed and had multiple maggot-infested wounds.

The RSPCA inspector alleges that Mr Raso initially denied setting any traps on the property, but eventually admitted to having set traps to catch foxes that were attacking his chickens.

A rusty steel-jawed trap was retreived from between a pile of debris at the rear of the property, and a second trap was also found.

Mr Raso reportedly told the inspector that he had briefly seen the cat caught in a trap the day before, just before it managed to free itself.

Case Updates

occo Raso, 62, was charged by the RSPCA after his neighbour's cat, Smokey, was caught in the trap for at least 72 hours in October last year.

The RSPCA said Smokey suffered extensive injuries, including multiple dislocations, which suggest she would have been in pain.

The cat was taken to a nearby veterinary surgery where it was euthanased.

RSPCA spokeswoman Emma-Jane Morcombe said it was a serious case of animal cruelty.

"The message is clear. It doesn't matter what you're trying to trap or where you're laying one, it's illegal to go out and set a steel-jaw trap," she said.

"A special permit and modifications, designed to ensure any animal caught is unlikely to suffer significant injury, are required under the Animal Welfare Act to use this kind of device.

"Even then, the RSPCA encourages people to consider humane alternatives, such as cat traps."

Raso was fined $5000 and was also ordered to pay $1165 in court costs.

Source: heraldsun.com.au - Aug 18, 2011
Update posted on Sep 16, 2011 - 8:49AM

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Cat caught in steel-jawed trap-euthanisedDarling Downs, QLD (AU)

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Cat caught in steel-jawed trap-euthanised
Darling Downs, QLD (AU)