A man has been fined £1,250 and ordered to pay a £75 surcharge for cruelly snaring a fox.
Thomas Ebner, 74, from Reston in the Scottish Borders, pled guilty to setting a snare that could cause unnecessary suffering to any animal that came into contact with it. The snare was located on land belonging to Old Castles Farm in Chirnside.
The fox was caught by the neck and partially suspended on a broken fence line. Ebner was sentenced at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday, January 20. Sheriff Paterson remarked, “This is a breach of the act. You knew what you were doing, and the fox suffered. But, I must consider that you have no previous convictions and pleaded guilty.” The sheriff then fined Ebner £1,250, plus a £75 surcharge.
A Scottish SPCA Inspector from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said, “The fox was found caught in a snare along a broken fence line by members of the public. It was seen jumping through the fence in considerable distress and foaming at the mouth. The snare was wrapped around a fence post and was blood-stained. The public was able to free the fox from the snare.”
“This snare was set in a way that caused suffering to the fox. There was a significant risk of it becoming entangled in the fence, which could have led to strangulation. It was clear that the fox was experiencing both mental and physical distress. The animal was at further risk of injury from surrounding barbed wire and broken wood.”
“The snare was set by an individual who had attended an official snare training course, where they were taught the correct way to set snares.”
“This is yet another example of the cruel impact snares can have on animal welfare and the unnecessary suffering they cause. We welcome the ban on snares implemented by the Scottish Government.”
A ban on the use of snares came into effect in March 2024 as part of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act.
“We have also been given additional investigative powers to tackle wildlife crime. These powers allow our inspectors, who are already investigating animal welfare offences, to search, examine, and seize evidence.”
“The Bill includes various measures to protect wildlife, such as a ban on all forms of snares and glue traps.”
“We have long called for an outright ban on snares due to the suffering they inflict on animals, whether used legally or illegally. Animals caught in snares can endure unimaginable physical and mental anguish. Snares are non-selective and can harm both domestic animals and non-target wildlife.”
