Celebrations outside the Senedd as Wales bans brutal wildlife traps

In a historic move for animal welfare, Wales has unanimously passed a law banning wildlife snares.

Members of the Senedd joined animal welfare campaigners from the League Against Cruel Sports to celebrate the passing of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, which contains measures to outlaw these brutal wildlife traps.

“This is a fantastic move for animal welfare,” said Will Morton, head of public affairs at the League Against Cruel Sports. He credited the Welsh Government for its part in the ban, calling snares “inherently inhumane traps” that contradict high animal welfare standards.

In a powerful statement, Morton expressed his hopes for a wider implementation of the ban, urging the UK and Scottish Governments to “follow their lead and ban these brutal devices.”

According to Defra, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, there are an estimated 51,000 snares hidden in the countryside at any given time, predominantly used by gamekeepers on pheasant and partridge shoots.

The research also shows that almost three-quarters of the animals caught are not the intended targets, often leading to unintended trapping of hares, badgers and even pets.

The move follows public sentiment, with a YouGov poll conducted in January 2021 showing that 78 per cent of the Welsh public supported making snares illegal.

Following royal assent, the ban will come into force in two months, signalling a clear victory for animals and a potential blueprint for other parts of the UK.

Morton concluded, “Today we are celebrating the end of the cruelty inflicted on animals by the use of barbaric snares. This decision will have the support of the vast majority of the Welsh people and we look forward to seeing snares banned in the rest of the UK soon.”