SPCA slams use of dead dog as croc bait
January 07 2010 at 09:15AM

By Jauhara Khan

Animal rights authorities have called the use of a dead dog to catch a crocodile indecent.

Canoeists training for the Dusi Canoe Marathon came across the circular mesh trap with the dead dog inside it on the Umgeni River in Durban on Tuesday night. The animal had been "strung up by its feet".

The trap was set earlier this week by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officials near Connaught Bridge to catch the elusive two-metre croc.

Ezemvelo spokesman Jeff Gaisford said crocodile expert Mark Robertson had found the dog's body on the roadside.

"(It) had been hit by a car and the front portion was badly crushed. It was basically just the hindquarters that were left. We would never use a live dog or kill a dog for bait."

It was "an old piece of knowledge" that dog meat was the best croc bait.

Durban SPCA spokesman Dougie du Plessis said: "It's fine to use the dead dog as bait if it does not belong to anyone, but surely there should be some procedure involved?

"It could have been someone's pet; they would have to check and not just assume it's a stray."


This article was originally published on page 3 of The Mercury on January 07, 2010

WHat else would you use a dead dog for?

Now, it this was a cat - there are 101 Uses for a Dead Cat. Someone even wrote a book about it.

No problem, just use live dogs. Will make the crocs happy.

quote:

Originally posted by Philip A.:
No problem, just use live dogs. Will make the crocs happy.

It seems on this French island they prefer live dogs for bait.

National Geographic article

Just be clear I am not endorsing or suggesting using live dogs!!

I think it's a bit much to get dander up about a road kill dog that is mangled beyond recognition though.

I might go so far as to suggest the use of an animal rights activist as croc bait...

Hey they wanna get close to the animals, right?

AD

quote:

I might go so far as to suggest the use of an animal rights activist as croc bait...

I like it!




.

another vote for using the bunny hugger as bait!!

From the photos I have seen of idiots playing on croc traps or swimming in them it appears there are plenty volunteers for bait.

We hunted a problem croc that was catching all the community,s dog and even one or two youngsters, so what do they think will be the best bait Impala LOL. the problem is when we asked them for a dog that was to be put to sleep they wanted to sterilize it, do a home inspection and charge for it so we rather used warthog LOL

Umgeni croc still on the loose
January 12 2010 at 02:14PM



By Dasen Thathiah

The Umgeni crocodile is still eluding wildlife officials, possibly because a television crew disturbed the area by going right up to the trap, which was set a week ago.

Depending on reports from the public, officials would look at the possibility of moving the trap by next week.

But shooting the animal is a last resort that will only be taken in life-threatening cases, said Jeff Gaisford, spokesperson for Ezemvelo Wildlife KZN.


Durban canoeists recently spotted the two-metre crocodile near the Connaught interchange, about 4km from the mouth of the Umgeni River.

Gaisford said the reptile posed little threat to an adult but children were more at risk because of their smaller size and were seen as "easier prey".

"Crocodiles are very careful about how they use their energy. If a 2m croc tackles a 2m prey, it would have to use an immense amount of energy," he said. "We would only shoot it as a last resort if it was deemed to be a threat. It would be a different scenario if the croc was running loose at a settlement where there were dozens of kids that played in the river."

The area was disturbed last week after television crews ventured to the spot and Gaisford urged the public to "let the matter take its course".

"We are most disappointed that certain media went right to the trap. We appeal to everyone to leave it alone. The more disturbances we have, the less likely the croc will go there."

The trap is made of wire mesh and has a hinged door at one end, with a wire catch and a line connected to the bait.

"If anything attacks the bait, the door will snap closed, trapping it inside," Gaisford said. Wildlife officials hoped to remove the crocodile before the start of the Dusi next Thursday.

Ezemvelo recently came under fire from animal rights authorities for using a dead dog as bait, but Ezemvelo defended the decision, saying the animal's body was found after it had been struck by a car.


This article was originally published on page 1 of Daily News on January 12, 2010

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
SPCA slams use of dead dog as croc bait
January 07 2010 at 09:15AM

"It could have been someone's pet; they would have to check and not just assume it's a stray."


This article was originally published on page 3 of The Mercury on January 07, 2010

I can't believe this statement, check if it is someone’s pet ?????? the authorities cant even catch a common criminal let alone find the owner of a dog that has had its head driven off.

Maybe the SPCA should donate a dog that they have destroyed themselves to make sure it had no owner.

Hell, they could even sell them to make extra income.

quote:

Originally posted by Safari-Hunt:
Maybe the SPCA should donate a dog that they have destroyed themselves to make sure it had no owner.

Hell, they could even sell them to make extra income.

They dont want to work for money its easier to beg we have suggested that they open a pet shop and sell animal food to raise funds (they will have huge support) till today nothing has happened.

Wow, this poor researcher, comes to catch a croc that is probably taking all the local dogs in the area and gets slammed for trying to help prevent more dogs disappearing! That dog would have sat gathering flies by the side of the road for days or weeks and no-body would have given a damn. At least somebody tried to put it to good use. It would have been quite different if it was somebody's pet, but I am pretty sure that the researcher himself must have realised it was a stray otherwise he would have attempted to ask around first to find the owners before using it as bait anyway. Larger, wiser crocs can sometimes be quite difficult to trap and using their most preferred food is probably a surer way of catching one, especially if it is a problem animal that is used to eating dogs.

feeding the bunny huggers to crocs gets my vote. stupidity running amuck.