Protecting wildlife and domestic animals
The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center recently received a call regarding a skunk stuck in a rat trap. When Animal Services Officer Stewart arrived, he saw an adult skunk with its paw stuck in the trap. He could tell the skunk was in pain and quickly took the trap off without getting sprayed. Luckily, the skunk was healthy other than a swollen paw. By watching the skunk scamper off, Officer Stewart knew it did not need medical attention.
Many residents place traps on their properties to trap vermin. Unfortunately, these can end up trapping other animals like raccoons, skunks, opossums, predatory birds, other wildlife and domestic animals.
Rat snap traps are thought to be a humane way to catch and kill vermin. These traps, however, are not effective and can cause severe injuries to wildlife and domestic animals that can result in amputations or even slow and painful deaths. Rodents are fast and are rarely caught in these traps. Please consider alternate ways to rid your property of rodents.
For more information, visit cmvas.org or call 949-470-3045.
Comments
What are the recommend…
What are the recommend alternatives? Once controllable sources of food for rodents have been eliminated, there does not seem to be a viable alternative to traps. Poison has terrible consequences for birds of prey and others up the food chain. "Electric" traps rarely work. Sticky traps are inhumane. If the City is asking residents not to use snap traps and use "alternate ways" they should list those preferred solutions.
