Coon Cuffs are Cruel

Warning: this image is graphic.

We know this is hard to look at, but it’s important to see. We were contacted today about this beautiful young raccoon who suffered terribly while stuck in a popular form of “humane” trap.

These cylinder-shaped traps, called “Coon Cuffs,” are marketed as a humane, safe, species-specific alternative to spring traps. But this marketing is deceptive. As you can see here, raccoons stuck in these traps suffer tremendously. We have seen many cases of broken bones, gashes, and other painful injuries in raccoons who sought food from a deceptive source.

Our friends at McKamey Animal Services were able to successfully get this fellow into care in hopes of transferring him to us for rehabilitation, but he was unfortunately suffering from shock, blood loss, and dehydration in addition to having his hand nearly severed by the trap. He ultimately did not survive his injuries.

No one would ever even consider doing this to a cat or dog. If they did, they would face jail time or worse. We want to live in a world where wild animals are afforded the same level of respect as our companions.

Please don’t use Coon Cuffs or any other trap that grasps an animal by its leg. If you must capture a wild animal, such as for veterinary care or rehabilitation, please use a cage-style trap and check it at least every 8 hours.

Let’s work together to share our planet and to treat our fellow earthlings with compassion.