Officials with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have offered an additional reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a Santa Clarita resident who allegedly killed a racoon with an illegal trap.

Earlier this week, a raccoon was found dead after being caught in what is believed to have been an illegally-set steel-jaw trap around the 28000 block of Rock Canyon Drive in Saugus. 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the incident, and believed the animal was trapped at another location near the home.

“The trap was rusted,” said Tim Daly, a public information officer for the department. “We believe the animal was trapped at another location and was able to move to the tree.”

A $1,000 reward was offered by Wildlife Emergency Services for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect responsible for setting the trap, according to officials. 

Within 24 hours, officials with PETA offered an additional reward of “up to $4,000” for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of the racoon

“The terror and agony that this trapped raccoon must have felt as he or she desperately tried to escape is hard to imagine,” said PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA urges anyone with information about this crime to come forward immediately so that whoever set this illegal trap can be held accountable and stopped from hurting anyone else.”

The jaw-like metal trap is illegal and cannot be used in the Santa Clarita area, according to Daly.

Wildlife Emergency Services officials are hoping to find who the person or persons who snared the raccoon are, and believe they are responsible for multiple other injuries to wild animals in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

“We believe someone is actively setting these illegal foothold traps in Santa Clarita,” said Rebecca Dmytryk, CEO for the Wildlife Emergency Services. “Multiple coyotes have been seen in Santa Clarita with missing paws.” 

Officials believe those coyotes could have been trapped and “gnawed through their paw” to get free, according to Dmytryk. 

“Trapping of wildlife is heavily regulated in California — even use of cage-traps. In addition to other restrictions, no person — not even a licensed trapper — is allowed to set a trap without first obtaining written consent from all homeowners within 150 yards of the proposed trap site,” Dmytryk said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wildlife Emergency Services by clicking here, or to report anonymously through the Department of Fish and Wildlife CalTip line at 888-334-2258. 

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