>up "TERRACE — Fatima Duben’s dog Duke is licking his wounds after being caught, in the steel jaws of an illegal leghold trap " set near houses on the south side ‘of town. oo. . i Fhe - nine-mortith-old Malamute-cross puppy trig- gered the trap Feb. 2 in woods- near the bank’ of the Skeena River immediately south of the - Terrace public works yard on Graham Ave . : Duke wasn’t found until. a, day and a half later when two fishermen heard his yelps. They had to use all their. strength to ‘pry open the jaws and free the’ dog, “SIf he was there another day, he would have chewed his paw off,” Duben says: “‘The: vet couldn't believe it was a trap — that something could do that _ Much damage.’” The device snapped one of the bones in Duke's right paw. The paw has been splinted and a pin has been put through it to hold it straight. - Duben says part of the paw may still have to be amputated if it doesn’t heal properly. - “The vet says it’s still too ear- ly to tell if it has to be am- putated but he (Duke) isn’t do- ing too bad,” said Duben after a visit to the vet last Friday. ‘Ill take a month at least before taking the pin out to see -if-the bone will heal,”’ she said. “It was a number 3 Victor leghold trap,’’ said district con- servation officer Peter Kalina, “'The trap was not modified and therefore was an illegal trap under the B.C. Wildlife Act,’” The trap could have been modified to make“it legal by putting a-rubber cushion over the jaws or by wrapping wire on @ jaw to leave a'small gap, That would help prevent am- putation of a paw when the trap snaps shut, said Kalina. He said he has no idea who put it there, and said evidence indicates it was abandoned for some time. - “Whoever set the trap didn’t know what they were doing,”’ Kalina added, saying it was set in an “amateurish way.” Duben said a child or a fishermen. could have been caught in the trap. “It could have been anyone. What if some kids wandered off down there?” ILLEGAL TRAP which badly damaged paw of Fatima Ouben’s dog Duke was probably set by an amateur. It wasn’t modified to meet humanitarian trapping standards naw in place. Seediess Thompson Green Product of Chile No. 1 Grade GRAPES ‘ mD 1.7 9.) | Suave FATIMA DUBEN'S’ dog Duke has a paw in bandages anid a broken bone held together by a pin resulting from being caught in an illegal trap. it's not yet know if the paw will have to be amputated. F ly after being mangled in illegal trap Hot House IRIS & TULIPS From B.C. Bunch of 5 5.49... Ground BEEF Regular Quality 1 Ib Chub Limit 2 with Family Purchase Over Limit Price .99 ea. \ ; z Terrace Standard, eens, February 20, 4991 - Page AQ. ‘No word | yet on | VIA run - TERRACE — There’s been no word yet on a federal govern-. ment plan to deal with VIA Rail’s service in northern B.C., says the MP for this area: New emocrat Jim Fulton- said he hasn't heard anything from federal’ transportation minister Doug Lewis since late last year when VIA announced it might want to cut the service. VIA said the service here and for seven other routes in the country depends on it getting more federal subsidies. “All I know is there has been no decision and I’ve told Lewis I'm not happy with the way VIA’ is treating this,”’ said Fulton. He said there was little at- tempt at contacting nor- thwesterners other than a survey done on one passenger run. At the same time, Fulton said a suggestion that a more tourism-oriented rail run across the north would do little to meet the needs of northern residents. The potential end of some rail services would be the second time VIA has cut its passenger. service in a year. Think © on this TERRACE — Former guides, scouts, leaders and friends of the guiding and scouting move- ment are invited this Friday toa campfire in honour of the bir- thdays of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, The event at Lower Little Park Feb. 22 is called Thinking Day and forms part of guiding and scouting week. Activities get underway. at 7 p.m. and those coming are ask- ed to dress warm, bring something on which to sit and to bring a mug for hot chocolate. There'll also be a sing-a-long and people with musical in- struments are welcome to bring them along” ete