It is now vital that as many members and supporters as possible respond to this consultation.
Members know that the ability to manage foxes humanely and effectively in Scotland is key to protecting livestock and ground-nesting birds of both economic and conservation concern.
It is important professionals do not lose more of the tools required to control fox populations in a range of circumstances and environments. This is doubly important, now, with the use of trained scenting dogs in professional foot packs being subject to a draft licensing provision which threatens the use of trained dogs, for this purpose, in Scotland.
You can respond to the consultation here:
Our Proposal
The SGA has written to Minister Gillian Martin MSP, outlining our proposal to enable trained professionals, with ID tags from Police Scotland, to move over to new humane holding devices which represent a step-change in animal welfare.
Read more, here:
You can also watch our video of the new humane holding devices in field situations in Scotland, (see film at the top of this article).
The SGA today responded to the Media regarding the Scottish Government proposals on snaring and giving SSPCA more powers in wildlife crime investigations.
Read our response, below.
“We recommend banning existing snare types for sale and use and in Scotland and allowing trained, regulated operators only to transition to new humane holding devices which represent a step-change in animal welfare.
These new devices should be legally available to trained operators only, with ID tags to be obtained from Police Scotland.
When Scottish Animal Welfare Commission recommended a snare ban, they did so without having seen these new devices in field operation in Scotland.
The new devices contain added features which take account of fox welfare and also enable non-targets such as badgers and deer to trigger a ‘break-away’, enabling them to free themselves.
Only a few estates have been using them in Scotland for any period of time. All have reported a step-change for welfare. Badgers and deer have been able to trigger the break-away but foxes, which are the intended target, have not.
We feel these new devices strike exactly the right balance between animal welfare and the needs of land managers, in a rural country, to be able to legally control fox numbers to prevent serious damage to livestock and ground-nesting birds of special conservation concern.
We have written to the Minister regarding this and have provided example videos of their use in field conditions. We look forward to demonstrating their humaneness and effectiveness in due course.”
On more powers for SSPCA.
“We recently took part in the stakeholder consultation regarding additional powers for the SSPCA. Our position remains the same.
“We believe Police Scotland, who were given new powers only recently in the Animals and Wildlife Bill, have both the powers and know-how to tackle cases of wildlife crime. We fully support them in that endeavour.
“However we believe, fundamentally, in law, that non-statutory, campaigning charities which are openly non-neutral on aspects of certain activities in Scotland should not be given added powers to intervene in exactly those areas. The conflicts of interest are very clear and have wider ramifications for how people believe justice should be carried out in Scotland.”
