Snaring is cruel, indiscriminate and unnecessary.

Scottish law now calls for the ID tagging of snares, a daily check and a safety catch to be fitted. However, even snares with a safety catch can inflict suffering and fatal injury on non-target species. Data from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) shows that 70% of snaring incidents involved non-target animals between 31st March 2011 and 25th April 2012. In addition, compliance with previous snaring regulations has been poor.

The non-target animals involved in snaring incidents include pets and European Protected Species. Other European countries have made the decision that a total ban is the only way to look after Protected Species. Farmers in these countries are still able to control pests through other methods – Scotland should follow Europe’s lead.

Respected animal welfare organisations such as the SSPCA and OneKind have a solid, evidence-based case for continuing to call for a total ban on snaring. Previous attempts to call for a ban have been thwarted by a small but vocal snaring lobby. Even in the face of evidence that it is impossible to design a snare that accounts for non-target species, and in spite of public support for a ban, the Scottish Parliament has been taken in by the idea that enough regulation can make snaring safe.

Regulation will never be enough to protect non-target wildlife species from the effect of snaring. When alternatives to snaring exist, their continued use with the devastating effect they have on our wildlife cannot be justified. Liberal Youth Scotland are joining the calls for a total ban on the manufacture, sale and use of snares in Scotland.