We are delighted that the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission has added their voice to support for a snaring ban in Scotland, officially recommending that the sale of snares and their use by both public and industry are banned in Scotland, on animal welfare grounds. 

In its position paper Scottish Animal Welfare Commission – trapping of terrestrial wild mammals using snares the Commission notes that snares cause ‘significant welfare harms’ to the animals, target and non-target species, trapped in them. Amongst the welfare concerns highlighted are the possible slow deaths of those trapped in the snares and starvation of juveniles if their parent is caught in a snare. 

Ethical principles of ‘wildlife control’ 

The Commission also recommended that the ‘control’ of wild animals should be ‘subject to ethical principles’, such as the international consensus principles for ethical wildlife control - a framework that OneKind strongly supports and has been working to encourage the Scottish Government to adopt. 

The role of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission 

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission exists to provide advice on animal welfare, specifically the ‘consideration of how policies take account of animal sentience, the wider welfare needs of animals and the type of improvements that could be made’. 

Its position paper came in response to the Scottish Government request to the Commission to provide a view on the animal welfare impacts of wire neck snares, as used in Scotland to trap and restrain sentient wild animals. 

What next? 

The Scottish Government is currently considering a potential ban on the use of snares in Scotland. We, and our supporters, have been working hard to ensure that ban on the manufacture, sale and use of snares in Scotland is introduced.

Our work to ban snares