The refusal by the Environment Minister last week to ban snares in Scotland was deplorable. Michael Russell's failure to heed the opinion of 75% of the Scottish public surveyed on the need for an outright ban on the inhumane practice of snaring does not bode well for the Scottish Government's handling of animal welfare issues or its claim to be in touch with the electorate.
I also take issue with Mr Russell's criticism of Advocates for Animals and the League Against Cruel Sports for apparently not co-operating with his "compromise" of making technical changes to snares.
A total ban is the only moral and workable solution. By analogy, in the human world you either support or oppose capital punishment: you don't tinker with the equipment to make it more acceptable.
Those of us who, like the great majority of the Scottish electorate, find snaring in any form both barbaric and ineffective as a tool for animal management will continue to campaign for a ban, the only acceptable solution in a civilised society.
Roy Jeffs,
Forfar.
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