Badger Trust calls for an immediate ban on snares used to trap native wildlife

Badger Trust Staff Team
Jan 25, 2023
6 min read

Badgers are the most commonly killed non-target animal caught by cruel and archaic snares.

MPs debated banning free-running snares at a Westminster Hall debate on 9th January 2023 after a 2022 government petition launched by Animal Aid received 102, 616 signatures. The petition called for the use of free-running snares to be made illegal because the devices are cruel, inhumane, and indiscriminately target wild animals and domestic companion animals with legal protections.

Shockingly, badgers are caught and suffer horrifically in snares set for other animals, despite being a protected species, and are the most commonly killed non-target animal in England and Wales.

Unlike self-locking snares, free-running snares are designed to loosen when an animal stops struggling. This is why free-running snares are currently legal to use under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, even though these devices still cause unnecessary suffering to captured animals. All self-locking snares are illegal.

There are, however, exceptions to the use of free-running snares. It is illegal to use them for any species protected under Section 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and this includes badgers. Accordingly, the law states that free-running snares are not to be placed at the entrance to a badger sett or across the runs that radiate from a sett.

Snares description and identification pictures from Badger Watch app

Yet, a 2012 government investigation into snaring as a wildlife control measure found that badgers were the most commonly killed non-target animal caught by free-running snares. In fact, 25% of operators reported capturing badgers in free-running snares. And badgers are not the only non-target species falling victim to these cruel devices. Defra also found that hares, deer, otters, pet dogs, and domestic cats had also been killed by this legal method of snaring. Shockingly, 5 out of 17 snare users in the study had caught a cat at least once.

Despite their intended loosening design, free-locking snares cause immense physical and psychological suffering to captured animals. Animals caught in free-running snares can be left unattended for hours (legal) or days (illegal).

Injuries include damage to extremities and internal organs as the wire loosens, slips down the body, and re-tightens. Animals can severely damage their teeth in attempts to gnaw through the device, and most suffer long, drawn-out deaths by asphyxiation. Thus, regardless of their legal status, free-running snares cause unnecessary suffering through cruel, inhumane, and indiscriminate killing.

The Animal Aid launched petition was supported by a range of animal welfare NGOs and supporters, including Badger Trust, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, the Cats Trust, Chris Packham, Peter Egan, and Deborah Meaden.

The debate was well attended by MPs including Ruth Jones, Margaret Ferrier, Olivia Blake, Tracey Crouch, Rachael Maskell, and Patricia Gibson, all of whom spoke confidently and passionately about the need to protect animals from free-running snares.

Rachel Maskell explained: “Snares are cruel – no ifs, no buts”, sentiments echoed by many other attendees, including Scott Mann from Defra, who summarised the issue:

“Snares can cause immense suffering to both target and non-target animals, and it is an issue we are looking at closely as part of our continued drive to maintain the highest animal welfare standards in the world.”

The Government concluded the debate on the 13th of January 2023 with the following statement:

“The Government recognises that some people consider snares to be an inhumane and unnecessary means of trapping wild animals and will launch a call for evidence on the use of snares.”

The call for evidence was announced in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare and will be available online to the public to allow all interested parties to express their views on the use of snares.

Badger Trust strongly supports a ban on free-running snares throughout England and Wales. After the debate, Badger Trust’s Executive Director, Peter Hambly, explained:

“Snares are cruel and inhumane. Furthermore, badgers are protected under the law, so the fact that 25% of the animals caught are badgers is a shocking statistic. These snares need to be banned as soon as possible. It’s horrific to inflict so much suffering on animals in this way.”

What is Badger Trust doing to stop badger crime?

Badger Trust has designed a variety of resources to help the public to recognise, record, and report illegal snaring, including the Badger Watch app – which guides users to recognise the different types of snares and when they are set illegally.

Badger Trust also has an experienced Crime Team dedicated to monitoring and tracking badger crime across England and Wales. They work closely with the police to follow ongoing investigations and assist as needed. This work ensures that no case slips through the cracks, giving the best chance to achieve more wildlife crime prosecutions.

Call to Strengthen Policy

Badger Trust continues to call on the Government to bring sentencing under the Protection of Badgers Act (PBA) up-to-date. Under the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, those committing the most serious animal cruelty crimes to a domestic animal in England and Wales can face prosecution with up to five years in prison. Similar animal cruelty committed against a wild badger can only be given a maximum of a six-month prison sentence under the PBA. Low sentencing means badger crime is not eligible for notifiable status.

Together we call on the government to:

Extend the maximum sentence for convictions under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992) from six months to five years, bringing it into line with Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021. This means offenders would be faced with a five-year sentence for the abuse of a badger, in the same way as they would for the abuse of a dog used in the same crime.
Make badger persecution notifiable to the Home Office so that the real level of crime can be accurately assessed, reported on, and tackled. At present, wildlife crimes are not recorded in this way and there are no official national statistics. Increasing sentencing would, by default, make a crime under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992) a notifiable offence.

What can you do to protect badgers from snares?

The best thing the public can do to protect badgers from snares is to recognise, record, and report illegal snaring activity. Badger Trust has resources and tips to help you recognise signs of badger crime and badger sett activity, and we need more people to record evidence and report crime when they see it. Only by reporting the crime can Badger Trust keep badger protection a UK Wildlife Crime Priority.

Report badger-related crimes to the police and Badger Trust

If a crime is in progress, please ring 999 and ensure you stay safe. If you find evidence after the event, please use the non-emergency number 101, or report online via a web option your police force may offer. By also reporting it to Badger Trust, you ensure we can liaise with the police on incidents, that we can alert the relevant local group as necessary, and that we have crime data across England and Wales. It also informs our work with the NWCU’s UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group and Wildlife and Countryside Link Wildlife Crime Group. You can report badger crime via our Reporting Centre or via the Badger Watch app.

Download the free Badger Watch app

Badger Trust, alongside researchers and developers from the University of Exeter, has created a new app ‘Badger Watch’ to help tackle badger crime. This new app has been developed as a free tool for members of the public and Badger Groups to easily recognise, record and report instances of badger crime when they’re out in the field. Recording and reporting badger crime at the moment it is witnessed will help save time and save badgers from horrific cruelty.

Available for Android and Apple devices, the app is a crucial tool kit for anyone concerned about badger crime. The Badger Watch app provides users with clear guidance on what to do if they encounter or suspect a badger crime has taken place.

A hand holding a smart phone on the screen is the Badger Watch app. In the background a badger in a moss carpeted wood.

What can you do if you find a badger caught in a snare?

We recommend contacting your local badger group where possible in the first instance for help. If you do not have a local group, try to contact your local wildlife rescue, the RSPCA or call Badger Trust on 01273 033440 to see if we can find another option.

Please note as a small charity the phone line is not staffed 24 hours, and only Monday to Friday during office hours. If we are not able to take your call and it is urgent please contact the RSPCA.