(KPAX) Rachel Luger and Brian Dalpes experienced the unthinkable on December 1, when their 17-month-old dog, Betsy, was caught in an illegal trap while they were out for their evening walk.

The trap was near the family’s routine walking path for Betsy, off Hiberta Road in Orchard Homes.

“We go down to this area all the time several times a week,” Dalpes said, “and we were just doing our walk and she was kind of behind me a little bit and around the bend in the trail and I just heard a commotion, and heard what sounded like an animal fighting.”

Dalpes went to investigate, and he saw the trap was caught on Betsy’s neck.

Dalpes succeeded in getting the trap off Betsy, but the damage to Betsy’s airway was severe.

Dalpes and Luger brought Betsy to the vet and performed CPR on…