HAMILTON — A trapper has been cited for placing a foothold trap near a Florence fishing access after a dog was caught in the trap and injured, state wildlife officials said.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens cited the trapper Tuesday, a day after a Florence-area man’s dog was caught in the trap at the Florence Bridge Fishing Access Site, agency spokeswoman Vivaca Crowser said. Traps are not allowed at fishing access sites without FWP permission.
Pete Ramberg tells the Ravalli Republic his dog, Monte, screamed in pain when she got stuck in the trap, which was anchored to the bridge abutment with a cable.
“I had never worked a trap before,” Ramberg said. “Monte was writing in pain and I was trying to hold her steady. I couldn’t figure out what to do.”
Ramberg said it took him about 15 minutes to work the cable free so he could take the yellow Labrador mix to the veterinarian, still in the trap.
The vet removed the trap and placed a splint on the dog’s paw and leg. X-rays showed Monte didn’t suffer any broken bones.
“If someone says to me ‘it was just a dog,’ I think I will scream,” Ramberg wrote to the newspaper Monday night. “I was there to hear her screaming and was there to see her fear in her eyes and the pain she fought.”