Bend veterinarian’s dog caught in ‘dangerous’ trap near Horse Ridge off-leash trail

(Update: Adding video, comments from dog owner)

She'd like to see Oregon become the next state to ban 'archaic,' 'inhumane' traps

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Patti Mayfield was hiking with her partner on Sunday in the southwest end of Horse Ridge Trail, when her dog "Pilot" got caught in a trap. 

Mayfield said they’ve hiked in the remote, off-leash area plenty of times with no issues, until now.

“Our first concern was that he was being mauled,” Mayfield said. 

She said it seems like Pilot got a whiff of something and then ran off. The next thing she knew, he was screaming.

“He was really spooked,” Mayfield said. “You know, he was panting hard. Like I said, he had blood on his face, blood running down his limbs, he had been chewing at it.”

They found Pilot caught in a trap, but were able to pull him out in a matter of minutes.

Outside of some limping and pain, he had no serious damage.

But Mayfield, a veterinarian in Bend, sees this as a wake up call.

“I have frustration with a lack of awareness that the public has, and also with the lack of potential responsibility from trappers to be mindful of mixed use,” Mayfield said. 

All traps need to be marked with owner ID and registration number, and set 50 feet from any designated trail.

This trap technically followed those directions, because the part of the trail Mayfield and Pilot were on, is not officially recognized by Bureau of Land Management. 

Legally set or not, she thinks it's dangerous.

“If they smell something, you know, they can dart 50 feet in a matter of seconds and be in a trap before you can get them back to your side,” Mayfield said. 

ODFW and Oregon State Police data finds from 2004-2017, there were seven dogs that needed treatment from a reported trap injury.

With Oregon's population and trail use increasing, Mayfield thinks the use of traps should be revisited.

“I think that there are a lot of people who feel these traps are inhumane, and that they’re archaic, and that trapping is a privilege, it’s not a right,” Mayfield said.

Mayfield says other states have gotten rid of trapping, and she hopes Oregon is the next to do so.