Dachshund caught in beaver trap prompts plea from family

A Strathcona County family wants officials to do a better job at warning residents about animal traps after their miniature dachshund was caught in one in May

Hudson the dog wandered into the trap while out on a walk on a trail along his owners’ acreage that borders another property. He was hurt so badly it looked like he was dead.

“It was the worst thing imaginable, seeing your dog basically dying in front of you and you can't do anything about it,” owner Kevin Ball recalled. “Just trying to open it up.”

Hudson survived the ordeal but his family ended up with a $3,000 vet bill.

The trap was set by Strathcona County to catch beavers. The family wants the county to do a better job at letting residents know the devices are in the area.

“Anything could have been in it, you know?” Ball said.

“Coyotes around here, foxes, rabbits, our kids, we’ve got a two and a five-year-old and they're on these trails too.”

There is no legislation compelling the county to notify rural residents about traps. Joel Gould, manager with transportation and agriculture services, said the landowner knows they are there because they ask for them.

“It is between us and the landowner specifically,” Gould said. “It wouldn't be our responsibility to let everyone else know.”

While the county isn’t legislated to notify people about the traps, owner Meredith Ball thinks it would be common courtesy  for them to do so.

She doesn’t blame her neighbour as he doesn’t live on the property and may not be aware of what is going on.