An animal is weaving through the thicket and brush to get back to the den - home - safe and sound.

Suddenly, they are wrenched through the air. There is a searing pain all around their neck, with a grip that is getting tighter and tighter. They twist and turn to break free; but it only gets worse. Panic sets in.

This is the distressing reality for an animal trapped in a snare. Could they be a fox, badger, bird, hare, otter or deer?

They could be any of the above; snares are indiscriminate. But you can speak up for Scotland’s wild animals.

Almost all European countries have already banned snares and most recently, the Agriculture (Wales) Bill that is currently going through the Senedd would introduce a ban on snares in Wales.

We mustn’t let Scotland – and our animals - get left behind.

Urge the Scottish Government to ban snares

With the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee calling for views on the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill that will be heard later this year, this is our chance to secure a snaring ban in Scotland.

We encourage you to join OneKind in urging the Scottish Government to enact a full ban on these cruel, archaic devices. No regulations and no loopholes. Together, we must appeal for legitimate protection of Scotland’s wildlife.

Respond to the call to views by 5th May

By using our supporter guide, responding to the Scottish Government’s call to views will only take 15 minutes of your time, but could result in a future for animals where they are no longer be at risk of being trapped, harmed or killed in snares.

Use our supporter guide to respond today

Why snares must be banned for good

Due to the often prolonged suffering and extensive injuries that snares inflict, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) and British Veterinary Association (BVA) have both called for a ban. The BVA has assembled a long list of the impacts of snares on animals, which include dehydration, starvation, self-mutilation, exhaustion and internal organ injuries.

 

 

Further, it’s critical to highlight the indiscriminate nature of snares, with our SnareWatch Annual Report 2022 noting that up to 70% of all animals caught in snare traps are that of non-target species - such as badgers and otters - or even someone’s companion cat or dog.

 

Since 2011, OneKind’s SnareWatch has received 522 reports of snare incidents from across the UK. Whilst the reports range in what animals were trapped and the severity of harm caused; their cruelty remains the same.

 

And whilst this is a shocking statistic, it is not just a number. These are individual cases of sentient beings suffering, sometimes fatally.
So, what are we waiting for? It’s clear that snares have no places in modern Scotland.

It’s time to consign snares to where they belong – history.