The RSPCA is looking for the owner of a dog after it was found trapped in a small snare.
A member of the public spotted the dog on Saturday October 18 at a forestry area near Bryn Meadows golf club at Maesycwmmer. They managed to cut the dog free, took him home and then called the RSPCA.
Inspector Emma Smith said: “The black and white dog is physically fine, but he is very nervous and docile.
“He has nothing obvious wrong with him and is recovering at a veterinary surgery.
“Unfortunately he doesn’t have a chip or collar so we are hoping to find his owner.”
It was pouring down with rain when the dog was found.
Inspector Smith added: “When the member of the public first saw the dog they thought he was just sat there, but when they got closer they realised he was tethered in a fox snare which was on a runner.
“It shows the danger of snares as often animals that they are not intended for become trapped.”
The RSPCA is opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all snares and any traps which could cause suffering to animals.
A snare is a wire noose which is attached to a stake or heavy object that acts as an anchor and is usually set to catch a fox or rabbit, but its victim is quite often a badger, cat or dog.
The RSPCA can be contacted via its 24-hour helpline on 0300 1234 999.
The law surrounding snares
There are some regulations governing the use of snares. It is illegal to set snares for birds, deer and badgers, though snares cannot distinguish between animals and may trap the wrong one.
In 1981, the Wildlife and Countryside Act outlawed the self-locking snare which, as a variation on the traditional noose, tightens with a ratchet-like mechanism.
Under the Act, users of other forms of snare must take all reasonable precautions to prevent injury to protected animals.
It is also a legal requirement that snares be checked at least once a day.