In the United Kingdom (UK), up to 1.7 million animals are brutally killed by snares every single year…
Every 20 seconds, another innocent animal is caught in a snare!
There can be no worse death than by a snare. Snares cause untold anguish and pain as snare wires cut deep into their flesh while the helpless animals frantically struggle to free themselves. This torture lasts hours, sometimes days, before the animals either succumb to their injuries, the elements, predation, or are executed by the snare-setter.
There are horrific cases of frantic animals gnawing off their own limbs to try and free themselves. In some brutal instances, a snare tightens around the creature’s abdomen, slowly cutting them in half! This must be stopped!
This barbaric cruelty is LEGAL in the UK and considered to be HUMANE!
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) not only condones the use of snares, but states that these devices are “an effective and relatively humane form of control”. Even the British Veterinary Association (BVA)’s so-called “Ethics and Welfare Group” supports snaring, particularly when the victims are badgers – a protected species in the UK. When will the UK’s decision-makers wake up and realize that their policies are endorsing the senseless torture and killing of their dwindling wildlife numbers?
As of 2020, a quarter of the UK’s native mammals are now at risk of extinction!
Snares are usually set to target foxes and rabbits, but as many as 50% of snaring victims are other creatures, including those that are priorities for conservation. Snares are indiscriminate because these wire death traps cannot tell the difference between a fox, a family pet or a protected species. According to the first Red List of UK mammals, animals such as wildcats, red squirrels and hedgehogs are all under imminent threat.
Snares present a serious risk to protected and vulnerable species throughout the UK. This is one of the main reasons snares are banned in many European countries, where they follow the general principle that a device which could accidentally catch and injure any animal which is protected by law, cannot be made lawful.
There are simple and effective alternatives to snaring!
Clearly, snaring is cruel and inhumane, and there are more effective solutions available to keep livestock and crops safe. For example, fox and rabbit-proof fencing are animal friendly, safe and more effective at protecting livestock and crops. The simple fact is that there is no reasonable argument to support the continued use of these torture devices.
We must ACT NOW to have snares completely banned in the UK, and together, we have a real chance to end this horrific practice. Your donation can go a long way in helping us achieve that.
Volunteer organization, the National Anti-Snaring Campaign (NASC) in the UK, has an opportunity to bring this to the UK Parliament and potentially secure a total ban on the sale and use of snares. They reached out to the Animal Survival International for support, and we agreed to help.
We need your support if we are going to help protect millions of wild animals from pointless torture and death. Please, donate now to support this very important cause. Together, we have a chance to outlaw this horrific practice and secure a victory for the animals.
