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Responding to today's Ministerial Statement from Michael Russell, Greens today rejected SNP plans to continue to allow snares in Scotland's countryside, albeit with some additional regulation. In December last year, the Scottish SPCA revealed that more than three quarters of the animals caught in snares were from unintended species, including pet cats and dogs as well as wild animals like badgers and deer. (1)

 
Robin Harper MSP said:

"Today's announcement will be met with grave disappointment by animal welfare campaigners, even if the proposed changes will tackle some of the worst practices we have seen. Snares are always indiscriminate in their operations, and anything other than a total ban is the wrong approach for Scotland's wildlife.

"I will continue to work with colleagues across the political parties to improve the proposed legislation as it comes through Parliament and try to move it towards a total ban. (2) I would urge campaigners like Advocates for Animals and the League Against Cruel Sports to keep up the pressure during that process, and whatever the outcome I am sure they will monitor the new system very closely."

Notes

1. See p3 of the Scottish SSPCA report: http://www.scottishspca.org/Uploads/Snaring.pdf

2. Robin Harper today pressed Ministers to instigate a robust system of monitoring to report back to Parliament on the effects of their proposed strategy to reduce the impact of snaring.

James Mackenzie
Media and Communications
Scottish Green MSPs
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP

Tel: 0131 348 6360
Mob: 0790 99 33 074
Fax: 0131 348 5972