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The
SGA endorses the NWTF Code of Conduct. It is not our intention to have
terriers bait a fox underground, preferring to use: “Individual
terriers, which are known by their behaviour not to attack foxes
physically” - Dr Gill Hartley Pesticide Usage & Wildlife
Management SASA. Terriers are used in the so-called civilized
Nordic countries, why should Scotland be different? We maintain that
the hunting of foxes with dogs is a necessary tool in predator
control, without which ground nesting birds in particular will suffer
enormous losses.
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In
oral evidence, Bill Swann stated: "the most effective way of
controlling the population is to shoot in the late autumn and early
winter”. In fact, this is the least effective time to control, for
two reasons. First, the damage of concern to gamekeepers,
conservationists and sheep farmers occurs during spring and early
summer. In autumn and early winter, it is not possible to identify and
target those foxes that will settle and cause damage during the
following spring and summer. Considerable mortality takes place during
autumn and winter, culling at this time kills foxes that would in any
case have died or moved away by springtime. Thus culling in spring and
summer is far more closely targeted on problem animals, and will
actually involve the culling of fewer foxes. Second, on an estate with
effective and intensive fox control, rebuilding of the fox population
will occur more through immigration than through reproduction 'on
site'. Replacement by immigration will happen rapidly in autumn/early
winter since this is the peak time for fox dispersal. Dispersal hardly
occurs during spring/summer.
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Bill
Swann further stated “We are not calling gamekeepers cruel, but when
they put terriers underground - an action that in effect results in
baiting of the fox which is trapped and cannot escape - the fox
suffers unacceptable mental cruelty.” He goes on to describe the
underground use of terriers as a cruel Practice. What he fails to
recognise is that keepers do not want their management to result in
confrontation; they want the fox to escape so that they can shoot it.
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If
terrier work is prohibited, the Scottish Executive’s National Parks
Bill will fail. There can be no Sustainable Biodiversity (one of the
key principles of the Bill) if unregulated foxes are eating the eggs
and young of ground nesting birds: “Scotland’s
wildlife, including game species and their predators, are inescapably
affected by human activity. Active management is thus an inescapable
aspect of rural conservation.” “Game management delivers
significant biodiversity benefits at no net cost to the taxpayer.” -
Game Conservancy Trust.
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Rural
Sustainability - another key principle of the National Parks Bill - is
inextricably linked to Sustainable Biodiversity “Scotland’s
managed game populations are world-famous. This nationally important
land-use sustains rural employment, has contributed to a number of our
most attractive landscapes, and significantly enhances biodiversity.”
- Game Conservancy Trust
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Different
terrain and habitats require particular methods of predator control.
Keepers in some areas require hunts to flush foxes from huge acres
of sterile forestry planted as a result of government grants in the
1960s/70s. 8 of the 15 European Member States hunt with hounds, why
should Scotland be different. Nowhere in Europe can you find such rich
biodiversity of flora and fauna in such a small area.
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Gamekeepers,
or Wildlife Managers as we have increasingly become, ensure that
ground nesting birds such as curlews, lapwings, skylarks, ring-ouzel,
capercaillie and black cock, merlin and dotterel are protected from
predators during their vulnerable nesting season. Without terriers,
this protection would be incomplete.
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Those
supporting the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill state that
terrier work accounts for 12% of the annual cull. The importance of
terrier work during the vulnerable bird nesting period needs to be
stressed e.g.: in upland areas there are few, if any, alternatives and
that in such areas, hunting with dogs actually accounts for a high
proportion of the fox cull - 26% (SGA Fox Cull Census results,
1999). “Terriers
are used extensively in the more remote areas of Scotland as a means
of destroying cubs in dens. This is particularly important, since
foxes often den in rock cairns where it would be impossible to dig
down to them if terriers were no longer used.” - Dr Gill Hartley
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If
driven foxes are wounded and go to ground, it is immoral not to use
terriers to swiftly locate and humanly dispatch them.
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If
a lactating vixen is shot, how does a keeper locate and humanly
dispatch the cubs without a terrier to ascertain their whereabouts? “Terriers
are likely to kill young fox cubs quickly and humanely.” “Young
cubs cannot be controlled effectively or humanely by shooting adult
foxes above ground.” “The most effective method of controlling
young cubs is the use of terriers below ground.” - Dr Gill Hartley
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The
Bill’s supporters assert “Foxes are immobilised in a powerful beam
of light and then shot with a high powered rifle”. We emphasise that
this is not the case, foxes are not cardboard cut-outs and are
definitely not immobilised - they are merely less cautious under the
cover of darkness. The light simply identifies their presence by the
reflection from their eyes and does no more good. This is normally
some distance away and they are called, or stalked, with a view to
reducing that distance as much as possible. How cautious the fox is
(dependant on its age or whether it has been shot at or chased
before), wind direction and natural light level all play a part in
determining success. In written evidence, the SSPCA state “Hand-held
lamps now make night shooting in remote areas more feasible.”
However Dr Gill Hartley states “But, there are a number of
situations in which lamping is not practical or safe.” It is our
experience that, in rough terrain, attempting to shoot whilst using a
hand-held lamp is impractical and likely to result in an increased
number of wounded foxes.
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Scientifically,
rodents are mammals. This Bill does not seek to outlaw Rat poisoning -
a death that can take up to 3 days - or their dispatch by terriers.
Presumably, the Bill’s promoters consider this “Necessary
Suffering”. Why then are hounds killing a fox in seconds not
acceptable? Why is the use of ferrets to flush rabbits from
underground acceptable suffering and not the use of terriers to flush
foxes?
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Live
trapping of wild foxes in rural areas are trap shy and figures do not
indicate this is a viable method of control in the countryside.
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Other
forms of non-lethal predator control have been variously suggested.
MAFF considered the use of electric fencing. Clearly this would prove
uneconomic on grouse moors; heavy snow and power failure would make
this an unviable option. The Game Conservancy Trust gave evidence that
Conditioned Taste Aversion would not work in this country.
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Lurchers
do not chase foxes to exhaustion; they are quickly caught and
dispatched. Lurchers like foxhounds, rapidly learn not to grab a fox
by the hind legs as the fox will turn and bite the dog. The Lurchers
learns to grab the top of the spine, thus ensuring a swift death. This
is surely equivalent to the end phase of hunting with hounds. Both
hounds and lurchers have superior speed to a fox in anything more than
a sprint.
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In
1999, 4 cases of Wildlife Crime were reported to the Procurator
Fiscal, of which 2 resulted in convictions. This Bill will not be a
priority for the Police; will be difficult to enforce resulting in an
atmosphere of subterfuge.
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Gamekeepers’
dogs are usually household pets as well as a working tool. Who will
pay for their incarceration, their work and their training if an
Accused is subsequently found Not Guilty and what compensation will
there be for the distress caused to family members?
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The
Bill’s Disqualification Orders (Part 7) state “In order to protect
livestock, fowl or gamebirds kept, or crop growing, on that land; or
in the case of rabbit or hare, in order to provide (but not by way of
sale or trade) food for human consumption. What justification is there
for banning the sale of Game? This is back door legislation against
shooting
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The
Scottish Gamekeepers Association backs all legal forms of predator
control. We feel that if the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland)
Bill becomes law, it will cause unnecessary suffering and will do
nothing for the welfare of the fox. “The fox population in
Scotland as a whole, as elsewhere in Britain, has increased
substantially during the last 50 years. This already makes effective
control of fox numbers at both local (farm) and regional (county)
scales more difficult than previously.” “The present Bill would so
reduce the list of current methods as to render control ineffective or
impractical.” - Game Conservancy Trust.
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As
professionals we ensure that our working practices are of the highest
standard and that suffering is minimized - we care deeply about the
countryside we manage, the countryside we live and work in - and the
flora and fauna dependant on our skills. Legislation should be based
on facts not feelings. If Lord Watson seeks to ban cruelty, he is
failing to do so with this Bill
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For
generations, we have managed Scotland’s countryside. As it stands,
this Bill is a direct threat to all aspects of professional
countryside management. This Bill does not directly concern itself
with hare coursing & foxhunting and is therefore totally flawed.
We will be pleased to answer any questions you have on the wider
implications of this Bill.
