Today we welcomed the announcement made by the Scottish Government to seek the public’s views on whether an outright ban on snares should be put in place in Scotland.
We have long called for a ban on snares due to the associated welfare issues and indiscriminate nature of the devices.
Since 2019, the charity has recorded 41 incidents of animals caught in snares. 14 of those involved domestic animals.
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn, said: “The Scottish SPCA strongly supports this announcement by the Scottish Government.
“As Scotland’s animal welfare charity, we have long called for an outright ban on the use of snares due to the level of suffering an animal is caused, whether snares are used legally, or illegally.
“Animals that are caught in snares can be caused unimaginable physical and mental anguish. Snares are non-selective and can just as easily harm a domestic animal as well as non-targeted wildlife.
“We’ve responded to calls from members of the public in the past who suspect their cat or dog has been injured by a snare. A cat named Rufus had a lucky escape from a snare in 2021 when he was caught by the illegal trap in Edinburgh.
“Rufus was thankfully unharmed but other animals have not been as lucky. In 2016 we investigated an incident in East Kilbride where a cat named Stripey sadly lost his leg after being caught in a snare and seriously injured.
“We are very pleased that steps are being made towards an outright ban, which will be a historic moment for animal welfare in Scotland.”
The consultation is also asking for opinions on extending the investigative powers of the Scottish SPCA - a new measure which will help tackle wildlife crime. This will involve giving our inspectors more authority, in certain circumstances, to search, examine and seize evidence related to incidents of illegal hunting and other offences related to wildlife persecution.
If anyone is concerned about an animal, they can call the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
