Dog owner leads calls to ban use of snares

A WOMAN whose pet dog was caught in a snare has appealed for the devices to be banned in Scotland.

Jill Flye from Winchburgh, West Lothian, was walking her English pointer Monty along a canal towpath when he got caught in a snare.

She managed to free him before he suffered any injuries, but she said she was shocked snares were still in use.

"I hadn't realise until then that we still had snares here. It seems barbaric that they are still in use."

She joined charity Advocates for Animals who launched their Snare Free campaign outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday.

Libby Anderson, the charity's policy director said: "The vast majority of people in Scotland would welcome our country becoming free of snares, which are outdated, inhumane and indiscriminate traps.

"Our politicians must listen to public opinion and seize this opportunity to bring our laws up to date by ending the use of snares and leading the way for the rest of the UK."

Labour MSP Sarah Boyack and SNP back-bencher Christine Grahame turned up to support the campaigners.

Anti-snaring groups hope MSPs will be able to ban the practice by amending the new Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill, introduced to parliament last month.

Environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham has previously ruled out a ban, saying the practice "remains essential to countryside management".

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government carried out a thorough review and concluded that snaring should be retained as an essential tool for pest and predator control.

"Proposals in the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill will see improved standards in the setting of snares as snaring operators will have to undertake compulsory training."