New laws covering the use of snares in Scotland will come into force on 11th March. The legislation is broadly in line with advice contained in the existing code of practice: "Snaring in Scotland: A Practitioners’ Guide", written by the land management industry group and endorsed by Scottish Government. New training courses have been developed to help people comply with the law.
The Snares (Scotland) Order 2010 will mean that snares must be checked at least once every day at intervals of no more than 24 hours to make sure they are free-running. It also states that snares must be fitted with a safety stop at a length determined by the intended target species and must be staked to the ground or attached to prevent them being dragged. Snares must also be set in locations where the target species can be safely restrained.
BASC Scotland Director Dr Colin Shedden said, "BASC welcomes the introduction of this legislation as it reinforces the advice contained in the Practitioners’ Guide, published by the industry last year. We are always seeking to improve the welfare of animals restrained by snares and to reduce the risk to non-target species and this new legislation will help. We would encourage all practitioners to take part in the new snaring accreditation courses and to follow the advice contained in the Practitioners’ Guide. Copies are available free of charge from BASC Scotland."
BASC Scotland, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust have collaborated to produce and provide training in the use of snares in Scotland. Each of the organisations will be conducting the training, the course taking about half of a day, costing £45 per participant and ending with both theoretical and practical assessments. For more information and to book please contact the Scotland Office on 01350 723226.
