Labour’s vow to ban snares and restrict cage breeding welcomed

THE League Against Cruel Sports has welcomed a manifesto commitment by Welsh Labour to ban snares and restrict the use of cages for farmed animals.

Snares are thin wire nooses mainly laid by gamekeepers to trap animals.

The League’s senior public affairs officer for Wales, Bethan Collins, said: “Welsh Labour promises to ban the use of snares, which we wholeheartedly welcome as we know these devices cannot be regulated efficiently and can lead to a protracted death for any animal caught in them.

“We would further welcome a commitment by Welsh Labour to outlaw the manufacture, sale and possession of snares.

“Welsh Labour’s pledge to restrict the use of cages for farmed animals – which we hope would include commercially reared birds due to be shot for sport – reflects the cruelty of cages and the need to tackle the animal welfare issues around the breeding of game birds.

“The Green Party in Wales is also promising to introduce a Biodiversity and Animal Protection Commissioner, who would ‘strengthen animal welfare laws to ensure both farmed and companion animals enjoy high welfare standards throughout their lives’.

“While we would support any commitment to enhance and further the protection of the environment and wildlife, detail needs to be included on what the remit of that Commissioner would be, especially whether snaring and cage breeding would end in Wales.

“The past year or so has emphasised to everyone the importance of caring for the environment and treating animals well. We remember the herd of goats taking over the streets of Llandudno while the town’s human residents were locked down, but also how much nature and wildlife has helped people cope with the pressure the pandemic has brought.

“All we’re asking is that more parties join us in trying to stop snaring and commercial caged game bird breeding.”

Polling commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports and conducted by You Gov in January 2021 found 78% of the Welsh public wanted snares to be made illegal and 72% thought that the use of cages to breed pheasants and partridges should be made illegal.