71% of snares catch animals such as pet cats rather than those they are intended for, says charity

Animal welfare charity OneKind has revealed that the majority of animals caught in snare traps aren’t those the traps are set for but are often domestic pets.

The charity revealed 71% of all reports made so far this year to its SnareWatch website have involved non-target species, as it renewed its call for a ban on snares ahead of the Glorious Twelfth – the start of the grouse shooting season.

Snares are used by the shooting industry to protect stocks of game birds yielded for commercial shooting.

However, since the start of the year, the reports received on the website, which allows members of the public to report snare sightings throughout the UK, have shown predominance towards animals which aren’t the intended species, with a high number of reports involving domestic pets.

“The vast majority of reports to SnareWatch involve animals which are not the intended victim of a snare with the predominant species being cats and badgers,” spokesperson Louise Robertson said.

“This grim illustration shows quite how indiscriminate snares are and highlights the scale of the problem with their continued use.”

“OneKind has long campaigned for snares to be made illegal and it’s utterly demoralising to see report after report come in through SnareWatch giving horrific details of animals which have suffered as a result of these primitive and unnecessary traps.

“Despite a tightening of regulations in Scotland the suffering still continues and will keep doing so until snaring is finally banned.”

A review of snaring regulations is due to take place in December 12016 after provisions were made in the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.