Humane animal trap

An animal trap comprising a casing, said casing including opposed upper and lower sections open at their bottom and top ends, respectively, whereby the section can be telescoped together into a set position;

• anchor means for anchoring said casing in one location;
• hinge means interconnecting the upper and lower sections, whereby the sections can move relative to each other into a spaced apart relationship when the trap is sprung;
• first spring means biasing said sections to the sprung position;
• latch means for locking said sections in the set position;
• jaw means pivotally mounted in said upper section defining the top of said upper section;
• second spring means biasing said jaw means to the closed position, in which the jaw means forms a continuous top surface on the casing;
• trigger means for actuation by said jaw means to release said latch means, whereby the spring means moves said sections rapidly apart from the set to the sprung position;
• said jaw means including opposed, resilient free edges for gripping the leg of an animal, whereby, when an animal steps on said jaw means, the jaw means opens permitting entrance of the paw of the animal into the trap, actuating said trigger means to release the latch means causing the upper section to move upwardly on the leg of the animal, and said second spring means biases said jaw means to the closed position to resiliently engage the leg of the animal above the paw so that removal of the leg from the trap by pulling is prevented.