A local dog is recovering after a scary situation over the weekend.

On Sunday, March 4, a resident was walking their dog near Cameron School on South Railway Street, after the dog veered off the path it was caught in an illegally set coyote snare.

The dog, Baayo, was freed from the snare and taken to SAVE where he spent the night on oxygen therapy, IV, and 24 hour monitoring.

Pat MacIsaac, Okotoks Deputy Fire Chief, says the situation could have ended much differently.

"They're very dangerous tools, they are designed to trap and kill animals and they're very effective at what they do."

He explains snares can also pose a threat to humans in certain circumstances.

"We did a little research and we found a few instances in the past of children being caught in different snares, but that's very rare it's more common for animals and pets to be caught in snares."

MacIsaac says the incident was the first time a pet has ever been caught in an illegal snare in Okotoks, but says its good to be aware of your surroundings when heading out.

"Keeping control of your animals, having them on a leash at all times, being wary of the different types of traps, snares are just wires and they're very hard to see, there's also leg hold traps and Conibear traps."

"Knowing the area, understanding what a trap is, what a snare looks like if you recognize it and see one, call municipal enforcement and they should be able to deal with it."

He shares if a pet is caught in a snare, there are a few steps residents can take.

"Try to keep the animal as calm as possible. The more it struggles the more the snare is going to tighten, they're designed to do that. Take some tension off of the snare and loosen it, gently working the animal out is your best bet unless you have wire cutters."

MacIsaac also encourages residents to call 911 if a pet is caught in a snare.

Fish and Wildlife and RCMP are investigating the incident.

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