Dog is fatally injured by beaver trap

The incident occurred at about 11:30 in the morning on Saturday, November 1. A woman was walking her dog in the above-mentioned area when it happened. The woman was powerless to help her dog; her 12-year old pet succumbed to his injuries and died.

In spite of the drama that she went through, she hurried to advise the authorities so they could come and help immediately. Informed of the incident, the Borough took measures to remove these devices from the spots where they were installed.

Four beaver traps were set up in some strategic points of the island to counteract the devastating effects of these rodents; they attack numerous trees that line the edge of the river. Based on the information obtained from the Borough, some tree species, more often than 100-year old trees, have been destroyed.

It seems that a series of unfortunate circumstances led to this sad event. The four traps were placed in areas where beavers are frequently spotted and these areas are usually inaccessible to the public. A professional trapper was assigned to undertake this task by the organism that looks after the protection of trees and green spaces for the Borough’s account.

In previous years, capturing beavers was carried out using cages; these animals were then freed in open spaces outside the Montreal region. This practice was disallowed by the Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife so another approach had to be adopted to remove these animals from urban zones. This is when traps were used and installed in areas outside marked paths without notifying the Borough.

The four traps have therefore been removed and the control of beavers that attack some of the island’s trees has been suspended. The Borough intends to shed light on these events and will decide if new methods can be implemented to ward off these rodents.

Moreover, residents must remember that they cannot walk their dogs without a leash in areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the Borough, except in designated zones like dog parks.