Wales first to introduce a total ban on snares

From 17 October, the use of snares and glue traps will be illegal in Wales. Snares, also referred to as cable restraints, it is said can cause suffering to animals. It is argued that cable restraints can be indiscriminate as they can harm species that they are not intended for, such as otters, dogs and cats.

The UK Government has legislated for only a partial ban in England, but a complete ban will be introduced in Wales. The ban is controversial, as rodent control is essential where prevention has failed.

Welsh rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths said: “The use of snares and glue traps are not compatible with the high animal welfare standards we strive for here in Wales. These methods can cause a great deal of suffering and harm to all animals.”

Geraint Jones, headkeeper on the 6,000-acre Coed Coch shoot in North Wales, told ST: “The ban is yet another tool removed from the keeper and land manager’s toolbox. The government are chipping away at keeper’s ability to protect vulnerable species through predator control in areas such as dense commercial forests or reedbeds where shooting is impractical or impossible.”

This story first appeared in Shooting Times, Britain’s oldest and best-selling shooting magazine. Published every Wednesday, the 141-year-old title has long been at the coalface of the countryside, breaking the stories that matter to you. Subscribe here.