Traps still being laid for wild boar; at least three with missing feet seen in Hoi Ha alone

Over the last two years, Hoi Ha residents have seen at least three different wild boar with a physical disability limping around the refuse bins.  Two individuals were each missing a front foot and one was missing a rear foot.  One of them can be seen in this video: https://www.facebook.com/nicola.newbery.5/videos/10156164548560738/?t=3

Veterinary advice is that it would be too much of a coincidence for these injuries to have been the result of road traffic accidents or a disease such as foot and mouth which would have affected all four legs.  It is likely that these animals were illegally trapped, perhaps by a snare or a gin trap, and would have sacrificed part of their leg in order to escape.  A monkey has been sighted which is missing a hand and a foot, this animal may possibly have also been caught in a trap.

All four of these animals have adapted to their disability, and do not need rounding up and taking away.  However, given the cruelty and suffering involved in such illegal trapping, the priority is to locate and remove traps, and find out who is responsible.  The traps could have been placed anywhere in the surrounding area between Hoi Ha, Pak Sha O, Tai Tan and Ko Tong.  Residents from Hoi Ha and Pak Sha O, an SPCA Inspector and AFCD staff have so far scoured the area between Hoi Ha and Pak Sha O without success.

Should you find any kind of a trap, please photograph and GPS locate it, and report the finding by dialling 999 for the Police or the SPCA 24-hour Animal Rescue hotline on 2711 1000.

The worst scenario for any dog owner is if their pet becomes trapped in a gin trap.  The SPCA advises that typically, these traps are partly buried and chained to a tree.  Opening them is tricky – you would need two crow bars.  The Fire Services Department does have the tools that would open a gin trap, so contact them by dialling 999.  If you are in a remote area and can lift your dog and the trap, carry them out while FSD are on their way.  Unfortunately, the limb is likely to be lost.  Snare traps are manageable, you would be able to loosen one of those on your own.