A Shocking Discovery

On July 8, 2004, at approximately 3 p.m., Officer Jill Gravley of the Humane Society of the Black Hills discovered—at the Badlands National Park just outside of Scenic, South Dakota—four dogs lying on hard, dry, hot soil about 30 feet from one another. The animals had no protection from the blistering sun and no access to water. Officer Gravley initially thought the dogs were tethered to low-lying vegetation nearby, but upon closer inspection, she saw that their paws were clamped tight in the jaws of leghold traps.

Officer Gravley noticed a patch of ground covered in matted black fur. A National Park Service employee explained that a dog had died and was likely dragged away from the area by a wild animal. The employee informed Officer Gravley that the traps clamped around the dogs’ paws had not been checked in more than 48 hours.

“The first dog … had one rear leg that was swollen below the hock, the skin on the foot was necrotic and smelled gangrenous, and bones were exposed. The dog was lethargic, dehydrated and in pain. Euthanasia was recommended.” — Dr. Teri Schweiss

The animals were immediately taken to the humane society’s animal clinic for care. Most were suffering so badly that it was determined that euthanasia would be the most compassionate option:

• A large terrier mix was extremely lethargic, his breath shallow, and the pad of his trapped paw was bleeding and swollen nearly twice its size.
• A 6- to 7-month-old Australian shepherd mix had worn his teeth down in a vain attempt to chew his way out of the steel vice clamped to his paw. His mouth and nose were full of dirt, he was barely breathing, and he was unable to stand or walk. As with the terrier mix, his foot was swollen nearly twice its size.
• Two young shepherd mixes who were likely littermates were medicated with antibiotics and pain medication, but on July 9, when they were examined by the humane society’s consulting veterinarian, it was determined that one’s rear leg was badly swollen below the hock, the skin was dead and gangrenous and the bones in the foot were exposed. The dog was lethargic, dehydrated, and suffering.
• The other young shepherd mix was the only survivor. Her teeth were severely worn from chewing on the steel trap, her front left leg was also swollen below the elbow and the skin was gangrenous and oozing with pus from loss of blood flow to her paw. Over the next few days, she chewed the dead tissue on her paw down to the bone, and the only way to save her was to amputate the diseased foot. Fortunately, the dog made a full recovery and was made available for adoption.