Snared cat lucky to be alive

A cat owner says her beloved pet was lucky not to be cut in two after it was caught in an illegal snare.

Nadia Keller’s cat Boots suffered severe bruising to his organs and grazes after becoming trapped in a wire and twine snare during a night roaming the fields behind their Clowne home.

Nadia, of Clune Street, said: “He came home in the early hours acting really aggressively and all you could see was a frayed bit of wire sticking out from his back.

“You could tell he was in pain and I ended up sitting up with him all night then took him to the vets first thing in the morning.”

The snare was wrapped tightly around Boots’ stomach and the three-year-old black and white cat – who chewed himself free from the trap – had to be put under anaesthetic to have it removed.

Mum-of-two Nadia (25) said: “I am annoyed that someone has put this snare down so close to houses. The vet said Boots was very lucky that it had not cut into his skin as they are designed to strangle animals or split them in half.”

The RSPCA believe Boots was caught in a homemade self-locking snare which tightens around an animal to prevent it escaping.

Fortunate

Mike Scargill, RSPCA inspector, said: “This cat was fortunate to have been able to get himself home and to have not suffered a more serious injury.

“Snares can cause a huge amount of pain and distress and can be fatal. People need to be aware that they leave themselves open to prosecution if they are using illegal traps or not setting them properly.”

Use of self-locking snares or setting legal snares to purposefully cause injury to animals is a criminal offence, with a maximum penalty of a £2,500 fine.