Fox snares

FUDGEY · #1 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 09:54 AM

I am currently collecting data on an army range near my home at mo to establish a rough estimation of the badger population. In 10 days I have found 15 large active setts in a small area. I always knew this land ahd a healthy population, but what I have found has blew my mind! Anyhow my concern is that bordering this land is a large estate that breeds pheasants. I was walking round it the other day and I was shocked at the number of fox snares that were set around the pens. I know for a fact that these will snare badgers regularly and i was wondering if there is anything legally i can do to stop them being set? My hands are probably tied, but i think its awful in this day and age that methods such as this are still allowed to be used.

wildliferescuer · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 10:15 AM

Snares cannot be set on badger runs. These runs are obvious as badgers always use the same routes, every day so if there are snares set on known badger runs, then that is illegal. Unfortunately it is not illegal to snare foxes, rabbits etc but the snares do have to be checked on a daily basis.

FUDGEY · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 10:41 AM

thank you very much for the reply, great information. I will go up today and have a chat with the gamekeeper to make him aware of this (although he will probably already know) but more importantly it will let him know someone is monitoring the situation. Many thanks for that mate

Lance Morgan · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 11:10 AM

Snares are indescriminate killers and can mame larger mammals if they get their paws caught in them.

FUDGEY · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 11:13 AM

If animal lovers across the UK started some sort of petition against this would the goverment not listen? It is totally shocking taht in this day and age this barbaric practice still goes on. If we all got together we would have a loud voice.

Jason Green · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 12:12 PM

So... snares. Can you get us a photo of one? Some types are illegal and others aren't. As WR says, seting them near badgers is illegal. It may be worth recording how many traps are set, and noting how often the traps are checked (just because they're supposed to be checked every 24hrs...) or which species get caught. If any of this is found to be illegal, contact your nearest RSPCA who I believe can check on this and take action if necerssary.

Good luck!

FUDGEY · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2009, 05:11 PM

got some photos jason, I'm on my phone at moment so I'll get them on as soon as possible. A positive if you can have a positive with snares was that they were set about 12 inches off the ground so perhaps to high for a badger??? What did concern me was that the stakes were not fixed and if a fox was snared it would for sure drag it around. Is this legal??? I "accidently" sprang one before I left and I'm going back tomorrow at same time to see if it's been reset. If it's not set it will show that they don't get checked every 24hrs. I am sure they are not as it's a huge estate with snares set all over and it would take a few hours each day to check them. How could you possibly prove this though? Without someone staking it out for this period it's not going to be proved unfortunatly.