NGO highlights concerns with the government's recently published Animal Welfare Strategy,

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Defra’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published earlier this month, contained a number of proposals which are of serious concern to the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation and to our members, whose livelihoods we represent.

One of these is what they refer to as “snare traps’, stating that they will both “deliver on the manifesto commitment to ban the use of snare traps in England” and “conduct a review of other traps used to catch wildlife in England for which welfare concerns have been raised and carefully consider any recommendations for further action.”

There is no clarification in the current paper as to whether this refers to all ‘snares’ – both non-code compliant snares and code compliant humane cable restraints – however we are in contact with Defra and Ministers to highlight the importance of humane cable restraints to gamekeepers.

The NGO have long argued that humane cable restraints are a vital part of a gamekeepers’ toolbox for managing predators in order to protect vulnerable species, and earlier this year we published a report which specifically examined the importance of the Humane Cable Restraint (HCR) in protecting vulnerable species. Through a combination of case studies, scientific research from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and a survey of NGO members, the report examines the likely effects on vulnerable species if their use were banned.

As case studies and the survey contained in the report demonstrate, the Humane Cable Restraint (HCR) is a proven, valuable and vital component of conservation management, and an essential tool in providing positive benefits for vulnerable species.

We have already sent the report to Ministers and MPs, but will be re-distributing this report to policy-makers and reinforcing this message over the coming weeks. We sincerely hope that the research and evidence included in this report will be considered in any decisions or proposals.

Other important items to note in the paper include a proposed ‘closed season’ for brown hares, a review of traps including mole traps and live capture traps for corvids, and issuing a call for evidence on the breeding and rearing of gamebirds for sport shooting, and birds retained or caught up for breeding purposes. Defra have also committed to “put an end to trail hunting and consult in early 2026 on how to deliver a ban on trail hunting”.

It is important to note – and frustrating for both us and our colleagues in other organisations – that neither we, the NGO, nor any other rural organisations had any input into this paper or were asked about any aspect of it.

The government has said it will consult with stakeholders on their proposed strategy, and we as an organisation will be feeding back our views. We hope to work constructively with the government, however it is vital that they are willing to listen, and that they ensure that any changes in legislation are based on science and evidence, not emotion and ignorance.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation: The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. The NGO defends and promotes gamekeeping and gamekeepers and works to ensure high standards throughout the profession. The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that keepering was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. Today, there are 13,000 members of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation.  www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk