Fort Simpson (Nov 26/04) - Gibson the dog has been stepping gingerly these days.

She got her paw caught in a Conibear trap in Wild Rose Acres subdivision late last month. Troy Bradbury, Gibson's owner, said he had let the young female German Shepherd out for about five minutes when a girl informed him of the urgent situation.

"She (Gibson) was running around with the trap on her foot. It just got her right on the tip of one of her toes," Bradbury said. "She sure bled a lot."

The Conibear trap, which sells for approximately $15, is a metal device generally used to catch marten.

Bradbury is wondering whether someone in the neighbourhood set it in a deliberate attempt to catch his pet. There were no identifying marks on the trap. He noted that it was extremely difficult to pry the rusting trap off by brute strength alone since he didn't have a tool specifically designed to release it.

He knows of another resident in the subdivision who had a dog killed in a snare a few years ago, he added.

Ken Davidge, a renewable resources officer, said there are no territorial regulations preventing people from trapping in residential areas, but it can pose a safety hazard for pets and kids. The trap has the potential to break bones, especially for a child, and the restraint could lead to death by freezing, he warned.

Bernice Swanson, senior administrative officer for the village of Fort Simpson, said there is no municipal bylaw to stop trapping within municipal boundaries. However, she noted that there is a bylaw stating that no dog should be running at large.