Campaign is example of League Against Cruel Sports relentless battle to protect the country’s wildlife - Steve Cardownie

The League Against Cruel Sports (of which I am a member) is currently running a campaign on the issue of the use of snares to trap animals.

Gillian Martin MSP

It is encouraging members of the public to write to Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Energy and Environment, to object to the assertion by some that “humane cable restraints” are somehow different from the snares currently in use.

The Scottish Government proposes to ban snares “or other type of cable restraint” which has prompted some to suggest that “humane cable restraints” are a recent development and should be permitted once snares are banned. However, they are nothing of the sort and are identical to the type of snare that has been in use throughout Britain for years.

Indeed, the Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs stated that “A code compliant snare and a humane cable restraint are identical in every way and have been in use since 2012”. The suggested letter to the Minister urges the Scottish Government to firmly reject claims that “humane cable restraints” are new, or materially different to the snares that have been in use in the UK for years.”

This campaign is another example of The League Against Cruel Sports relentless battle to protect the country’s wildlife. There are, of course, human tragedies that demand a great deal of our time, energy and sympathy, but there is no need for that to be at the expense of other matters which are worthy of addressing.

The war in Ukraine and the conflict in The Middle East are but two of the immense international issues that justifiably dominate the headlines, but we should also remain vigilant.