Brought so much joy to our family

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Affectionately known as ‘pop star or poopy’ Racheal says Poppy was the colour of sunshine and was a little ray of sunshine.

“From the moment we brought her home she ruled the roost. Bold, playful, adventurous, clumsy, clever, friendly, charming, snuggly and ALWAYS up for a game of chase, with the stinkiest farts I’ve ever smelt, hence the name,” she says.

Andrew Withers, Director of Valley Pest Control Ltd, says it appears the trap has been set purposely to target cats, as it is unlikely it would have caught a cat if baited for possums.

cats normally only enter a trap of this kind if it has been baited with meat. If this was the case, whoever set the trap is purposely targeting cats.

Andrew says there are multiple different types of traps used in New Zealand for vertebrate pest control, all of which play an important role in Pest Management/Predator Control Programmes across New Zealand.

“The trap that Poppy was found dead in was a kill trap, designed to kill possums humanely and quickly. However if these types of traps are baited with meat, they will catch other animals such as cats.”

Racheal says Poppy was never far from her side and loved being her gardening assistant, always popping up whenever she was in the garden, hoping for a ride in the wheelbarrow.

“She’d often tag along when I walked the dog along Sutherland Stream, much to the delight of other walkers and was the best furry sidekick this girl could have,” she says. “She brought so much joy to our family, and even non-cat people couldn’t resist her charm.”

Katrina Whiteside

Telephone (03) 5777-868

E-mail news@blenheimsun.co.nz

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Address 72 High St, Blenheim P.O.Box 634 Blenheim www.blenheimsun.co.nz

“The issue here is not the trap itself, but the fact that somebody is setting them adjacent to a residential urban area. Although the bait was gone when Poppy was discovered,

The only type of trap that is recommended in urban or residential areas is live capture cage traps. If a domestic animal is caught, it can then be released unharmed.

Racheal says she has since taken the trap to the police for fingerprinting. Meanwhile, she contacted the Marlborough District Council who send their condolences and advise they will be undertaking their own investigation.

If Sun readers are able to provide information on who placed the trap or saw anything suspicious along Sutherland Stream (between Hospital and Wither Roads) around Sunday January 22, please contact the Blenheim police or the MDC.

Andrew Withers, Director of Valley Pest Control Ltd says the trap that Poppy was found dead in was a kill trap, designed to kill possums humanely and quickly. He says, if these types of traps are baited with meat, they will catch other animals such as cats.