Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Climate Change and Rural Affairs for Plaid Cymru Simon Thomas has welcomed an Assembly report on the use of snares in Wales.
Snaring is a method of pest control that poses a risk to the welfare of target and non-target species.
The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee supports the Welsh Government in their efforts to encourage careful use of snares as a last resort, through the implementation of the ‘Code of best practice on the use of snares in fox control’.
Mid and West AM for the Party of Wales Simon Thomas said:
“As the Committee found in its inquiry on the use of snares, there is a lack of evidence on the scale, efficacy, and humaneness of snare-use in Wales. Given the risks posed to animal welfare, including that of non-target species, it needs to be ensured that the current approach is backed up by firm evidence.
“Plaid Cymru supports the Committee’s recommendations and hopes that the Welsh Government will agree to implement them.
“It should collect the necessary data as soon as possible and be prepared to take the necessary action, based on the evidence.
“Immediate action is needed to strengthen regulation if data show that the current approach under the code is not efficient and humane.
“As a last resort, if strengthening regulation on the use of snares does not make their use efficient and humane, the Welsh Government should consider legislating to ban the use of snares.”
“The Welsh Government needs to ban non-code compliant snares on their own public land.”
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