Sir, On Wednesday, February 20, the Scottish Minister for Environment will announce his intentions regarding the future of snaring in Scotland. Along with the vast majority of Scottish citizens, I sincerely hope that our Government will ban all snares and will lead the way for the rest of the UK to follow.

My husband and I have had personal experience of snares. In one case a female otter had been caught in a snare “accidentally” by poachers. She was caught around her middle but was still alive, and as she moved her wound gaped and her organs were falling out. In another case I found a kitten dead in a snare, which had cut through her flesh and disembowelled her as she tried to escape before she died.

Snares are a primitive means of pest control used on some farms and sporting estates. Consisting of a thin wire noose, they are both cruel and indiscriminate traps. They are set to catch so-called pests such as foxes and rabbits, but in reality any animal is at risk from getting caught in it, including protected animals such as badgers, otters and mountain hares, other wild animals such as deer, farmed animals, and even domestic cats and dogs.

It really is quite shocking that people can still use such cruel traps in a supposedly civilised society. Nothing other than a complete ban will stop untold, unnecessary suffering.

Duchess of Hamilton

Dirleton, East Lothian

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