The SSPCA have released an appeal to the public after a dead fox was found in an illegal snare in an Edinburgh allotment.
The animal was found by a member of the public on April 3 in the Masterton Allotments.
In Scotland, all snares are legally required to be marked with an identification tag so they can be more easily traced to the owners. However, the snare used to kill this fox did not include such a device.
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The homemade snare, which was constructed from wires, also didn’t include a “stop”. A device designed to stop the snare from tightening after a certain point.
While there are calls to make all snares illegal, some snares in Scotland remain legal but only under specific circumstances.
People using snares must get an accreditation from the police and include an identification tag to all snares they set.
They must also include a safety stop of an appropriate size for the targeted species and not be placed in a way that can partially or completely suspend their target.
However, not only did the snare used to kill this fox lack many of these safety features, but all homemade snares are illegal in Scotland.
An undercover inspector from the Scottish SPCA’s special investigations unit said:
“The snare was home made so had no stop on it, resulting in it becoming embedded into the fox’s body which caused a long and agonising death.
“The snare also appears to have been cut, releasing the fox but leaving the snare on the animal.
“Although the Scottish SPCA are calling for a complete ban on the use of snares, they are still legal to catch certain wildlife if restrictions are adhered to.
“This is not the case when a homemade snare is being used.
“Snares do not discriminate and can cause both wildlife and domestic animals a great amount of unnecessary suffering.
“It is illegal for anyone to tamper with a legally set snare or trap so we would ask the public not to attempt this. If someone suspects a device is set illegally then they should contact us immediately.
“Anyone with information on this incident should contact the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
