Cat found dead in wire trap next to bed sheet outside lighthouse

‘When the cat was found, the animal appeared to have not long passed away’

The cat was found next to Tayport High Lighthouse in Fife (PA)

A cat has been found dead in a wire trap in Scotland, prompting an investigation into what happened to the animal.

The Scottish SPCA was alerted after a member of the public spotted the animal on the shoreline next to Tayport High Lighthouse in Fife.

Scottish SPCA inspector Robyn Myszor said that the incident was “very distressing” for all involved.

“When the cat was found, the animal appeared to have not long passed away,” she added.

The cat was found at around 11am on 17 March next to a white bed sheet, in a wire trap. The trap was apparently not there the day before.

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“The member of the public who found the cat said they had been in the area the day before around the same time and there was no sign of the trap,” said Ms Myszor.

The SPCA revealed that they had traced the owner of the cat, adding that their “thoughts are with them at this sad time.”

The charity reminded people of a legal requirement to check traps and snares every 24 hours. They also pointed out that it is also good practise to check live catch traps at least twice a day.

This comes only a month after a distressing incident on the royal Sandringham estate, Norfolk, where apet dog was caught in a snare trap, by its neck.

According to the owner, the dog could have died as it was trapped while temperatures rapidly descended to below freezing.

Gamekeepers typically set snares to kill animals which they think could be a threat to young game birds being reared to be shot, such as pheasants and partridges. Animals they seek to catch include rats, squirrels, rabbits and weasels.

Campaigners who want the snares to be completely banned say that they can cause prolonged suffering and distress to animals caught in them. This includes both wild animals caught intentionally and domestic animals caught accidentally.

Anyone who has any information on the incident in Fife is asked to call the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.