Snares cause severe welfare harm to target and non-target species through prolonged entrapment, injury, and distress — evidence supports replacement with welfare-superior alternatives.
Snare welfare impacts are prolonged and severe. An animal caught in a snare experiences acute fear, pain from the constricting wire, and extended distress that compounds with every failed escape attempt. If not checked regularly (minimum daily in some jurisdictions), animals suffer for extended periods. Non-target catches of protected species, companion animals, and non-pest species are routine. Welfare arguments for snare abolition are compelling — no humane outcome can be reliably delivered by an unmonitored mechanical device. Where predator control is deemed necessary, camera-monitored lethal or non-lethal alternatives exist. Scotland has moved toward snare abolition; other jurisdictions should follow with evidence-based policy development.