Snares to trap animals could be banned due to illegal use

Trapping animals with snares may be banned in Scotland because prosecutions for illegal devices remain too high, it has emerged.

The practice is widespread in the countryside to protect gamebirds such as grouse and pheasants from foxes after MSPs decided in 2016 not to ban snaring outright but to introduce a regulatory regime.

Scottish ministers said yesterday that they planned a further review, including whether the snares should be banned. Crime figures show that while the number of prosecutions related to snaring has reduced in recent years, the numbers reported to the SSPCA remain relatively high.