Hares and snares targeted in controversial animal welfare plan

Defra unveils controversial animal welfare strategy

Defra dropped its Animal Welfare Strategy for England just before Christmas, and shooting organisations say they weren’t consulted despite the paper proposing measures that would directly affect predator control and game management.

While the League Against Cruel Sports was among seven animal welfare organisations quoted in Defra’s press release, BASC and the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation had no input, fuelling fears the strategy was built “on ideological grounds”.

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Snares under threat

The NGO says the paper raises “proposals of serious concern”, particularly a potential ban on snares that could threaten code-compliant cable restraints – described as “a proven, valuable and vital component of conservation management, and an essential tool in providing positive benefits for vulnerable species”.

The Government hasn’t clarified whether its “snare trap” ban would include these modern devices or just old-style fox snares.

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Hare close season concerns

GWCT’s Dr Alastair Leake warned that a proposed hare close season without crop protection exemptions would backfire, pushing farmers to take preemptive action rather than deal with individual hares causing damage. “The fact that at certain times hares can cause limited but at times severe crop damage is the reason there is currently no closed season,” he said.

Despite their concerns, shooting organisations say they’ll work constructively with the Government going forward.