Airgun misuse

MA SIMMONDS (Letters, 6 June) suggests I have demonised airgun users and that airgun crime has declined in the past decade.

The overall figures for gun crimes in Scotland have thankfully fallen over the past ten years. New laws making it more difficult to purchase airguns have undoubtedly helped achieve this.

However, although down on previous decades, in the decade to 2010-11 the percentage of gun crimes involving air weapons has been fairly consistent at between one-third to just over a half, averaging at 45.7 per cent a year.

Not all cases of airgun misuse are recorded as crimes. It would be useful to know how many animals and birds are treated or put down by vets or wildlife rescue centres as a result of injuries caused by air weapons.

Regretfully, not all airgun owners are as responsible as MA Simmonds. 

JOHN F ROBINS

Animal Concern Advice Line

Dumbarton