Scottish Govt to ban snares

The use of snares for catching animals looks set to be banned by the Scottish Government after years of campaigning by animal welfare groups.

A snare is a thin loop of wire, anchored and positioned to catch an animal around the neck.

They are often used on or near sporting estates to protect game birds from foxes, but also target rabbits and hares.

Animal welfare charities have been calling for a ban for years, arguing snares are cruel and trap or kill other wild animals and pets.

The Scottish Gamekeepers Assocation says that new humane traps could be used instead.

OneKind Director, Bob Elliot, says: 

“We are delighted that today the Scottish Government has finally announced their intention to consign snares to Scotland’s history books. The regulation of snares has failed to protect animals from the extreme physical and mental suffering caused by these archaic devices. Furthermore, 76% of the Scottish public support a snaring ban on the use and sale of snares. We are pleased that the Scottish Government has listened to the voices of Scotland’s people. 

Nothing short of a full ban will put an end to the suffering inflicted by snares. We urge the Scottish Government to make this ban watertight and not consider any exceptions to it.

OneKind has campaigned for decades for a full ban on snares in Scotland. Indeed, late last year, we marched down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and rallied outside Parliament with hundreds of supporters, like-minded organisations, and MSPs, to call on the Scottish Government to introduce a snaring and real foxhunting ban. Now we have a commitment to ban the use of snares and legislation to end the ‘sport’ of foxhunting in Scotland.” 

Along with other rural bodies, such as NFU Scotland, the SGA had proposed the retention of humane cable restraints under licence, for specific purposes.

Today, that proposal was rejected by Scottish Government.

A Spokesman for The Scottish Gamekeepers Association said:

“The decision is wrong. Scotland’s biodiversity will rue this day.

“With all the evidence in favour of retaining humane cable restraints, the only explanation we can give is that this is political.

“Regardless of which Minister delivered the final message, the SGA and its members remain convinced this was a deal made at Bute House between Scottish Government and its Green coalition partners, shortly after the last election back in 2021.

The Scottish gamekeepers association along with the national farmers union put out the below statement“This type of new politics is not serving rural Scotland well and people in the farming and gamekeeping community will have cause to remember this day when they are suffering loss and damage.”