State Finds No Violation After Dog Caught In Beaver Trap Along Hudson River

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The state Department of Environmental Conservation has recovered the beaver trap that snagged a dog near a Hudson River trail.

Neve, a 4-year-old Siberian husky, was injured on Thanksgiving Day when he stepped into a spring-loaded animal trap at the Locust Grove Estate in the Town of Poughkeepsie. His owner, Irene Monck, said Neve has recovered from bruises to his paw.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

The handwritten "Danger" sign that Victor Fernandes of Poughkeepsie walked past before his girlfriend's dog, Neve, stepped into an animal trap on Thanksgiving. It was staked into the ground about five or six yards from where Neve was injured.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

A top view of the animal trap that Neve, a 4-year-old Siberian husky, stepped into on Nov. 26. A state Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman said the trap was retrieved from the dog owner, but no violations were found by the trapper.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

A side view of the metal animal trap that Neve, a 4-year-old Siberian husky, got caught in on Nov. 26 at Locust Grove Estate in the Town of Poughkeepsie.The state Department of Environmental Conservation said the licensed trapper was not ticketed.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

A beaver.
Photo Credit: *Flickr/Bricktop*

Jon Craig

12/13/2015 5:00 p.m.

But after an investigation, no tickets were issued or violations identified, a DEC spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Locust Grove Estate, which operates a non-profit museum off Route 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, has reportedly ceased trapping near popular walking trails after the Nov. 26 incident reported here by Daily Voice.

A 4-year-old Siberian husky named Neve got stuck in a spring-loaded trap, but recovered after suffering a minor bruise to his paw.

Wendy Rosenbach, citizen participation specialist for the DEC, said that no tickets were issued to the licensed trapper and that no violations were identified.

Commonly known as the Young-Morse estate, the historic 200-acre site was originally owned by inventor Samuel Morse.

Victor Fernandes was walking with Irene Monck's dog about 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day when they came across a handwritten sign that read: "Danger! Do Not Enter.Trail Under Maintenance! Thank you,'' marked with a tiny happy face.

Fernandes wandered off the trail to see if there was new flooding.

That's when Neve stepped into a four-inch-long trap designed to capture beavers. The trap was anchored into the ground and took at least 15 minutes to open while Neve struggled while biting Fernandes, according to Monck.

The dog has recovered fine from bruises to a toe, she said.

Monck said a DEC officer came to her house on Tuesday "to make sure Neve was OK and retrieve the trap. He told us that Locust Grove had the trapper remove the traps."

According to Monck, the DEC officer said: "'No harm no foul.' He could have ticketed us for touching the trap, let alone taking it with us."

The Locust Grove Estate includes a Tuscan-style villa designed in 1851 and a small museum dedicated to Morse.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Yorktown and receive free news updates.