Woman asking for new trapping regulations after she and her dog were hurt in state park

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• https://www.wtae.com/article/pennsylvania-state-park-raccoon-creek-woman-dog-hurt/63404433

Updated: 4:24 PM EST Jan 13, 2025Infinite Scroll Enabled

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HOOKSTOWN, Pa. —

Valerie Plummer and her dog Shiloh were both seriously injured while walking in Raccoon Creek State Park on Jan. 6.

Plummer said she was walking her dogs on a multi-use trail in the park, something she had done many times before.

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“I was just walking, and they decided to stop and sniff. The one of them just pawed the ground. Her paw got caught in a trap, and she freaks out,” Plummer said. “I went in to grab the trap to try to figure it out, and she just latched on to me and just tore my arm apart.”

Shiloh suffered broken teeth and a ruptured blood vessel in her eye, while Plummer’s arm was severely injured.

Plummer had to hike out to park rangers to get help. Once she reached them, she asked about the legality of the traps in a nonhunting area.

“And they didn’t have an answer. You don’t have to report where you put your traps here in the state park,” she said.

Determined to prevent future incidents, Plummer wrote to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

“I just feel like there should be signage. There is no signage here at the office or anything stating like, ‘Hey, trapping season’s now in. Be aware of trapping,'” she said, “You look at surrounding states. It’s not allowed to be on the trails or in the area. It has to be a certain amount of distance away.”

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has requested a comment from the game commission.

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says it’s looking into the incident.