THE MERCURY (Durban, S Africa) 07 January 10 SPCA slams use of dead dog as croc bait (Jauhara Khan)
Animal rights authorities have called the use of a dead dog to catch a crocodile indecent.
Canoeists training for the Dusi Canoe Marathon came across the circular mesh trap with the dead dog inside it on the Umgeni River in Durban on Tuesday night. The animal had been "strung up by its feet".
The trap was set earlier this week by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officials near Connaught Bridge to catch the elusive two-metre croc.
Ezemvelo spokesman Jeff Gaisford said crocodile expert Mark Robertson had found the dog's body on the roadside.
"(It) had been hit by a car and the front portion was badly crushed. It was basically just the hindquarters that were left. We would never use a live dog or kill a dog for bait."
It was "an old piece of knowledge" that dog meat was the best croc bait.
Durban SPCA spokesman Dougie du Plessis said: "It's fine to use the dead dog as bait if it does not belong to anyone, but surely there should be some procedure involved?
"It could have been someone's pet; they would have to check and not just assume it's a stray."
SPCA slams use of dead dog as croc bait