Pet cat dies after being snared in steel trap, man fined more than $4000 for animal cruelty
A MAN has been fined more than $4000 for a string of animal cruelty related offences, including the death of a cat injured in a steel jaw trap
Police & Courts
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A MAN has been fined more than $4000 for a string of animal cruelty related offences, including the death of a cat injured in a steel jaw trap.
Jeffrey Hulcombe, 67, pleaded guilty to two charges of acts of animal cruelty, one aggravated act causing serious harm or death, three charges of possessing metal-jaw traps, and two charges of failing to inform the owner or authorities about the injury of a pet.
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The Alice Springs Local Court heard Hulcombe placed metal traps in a hollow under his front gate on three occasions in 2020.
He had approved council traps issued to him on several occasions between May 2017 and July 2020.
In January 2020, Hulcombe purchased two steel-jaw traps (rabbit traps) and possessed a jiggered steel-jaw animal trap, which are both designed to capture or injure and restrain animals.
He attached a chain to one of the traps so he could drag it to his trailer without touching the captured animals.
A cat, Woody, stepped in the steel-jaw trap and jammed his leg.
Witnesses saw and Hulcombe later released the cat, which was taken to the vet with a leg injury.
Another cat broke its leg in a separate incident in a steel-jaw trap, which Hulcombe left unattended after it was captured.
Rangers later found the cat and eventually euthanised it due to its injuries.
The cat’s owner could not be found.
The court heard Hulcombe repeatedly left animals with injuries in his traps on his property and did not render any assistance to the animals.
He made no attempts to alleviate any pain or suffering and in one instance, prevented a cat’s owner from assisting.
The court heard Hulcombe’s actions directly caused death or serious injuries to at least three cats.
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Defence lawyer Alecia Buchanan said Hulcombe had sought assistance from council authorities and had “a long history of attempting to deal with a cat invasion and has had what he considers to be a pest factor”.
He was convicted and fined $4200 and was ordered to pay restitution to the cats’ owners for vet bills.
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