Wire snares set illegally for deer or as residual traps cause severe injuries including lacerations, dislocations, and slow death from infection, starvation, or predation, affecting thousands of animals annually.
Key Facts
Snares are widely used illegally in UK uplands and are implicated in deer welfare incidents
Wire snares cause deep lacerations that may penetrate to bone as animals struggle to escape
Deer caught overnight in snares may struggle for hours before being found
Legal free-running snares kill non-target species including foxes, badgers, and domestic pets
Self-locking snares are illegal in the UK but remain in use; even legal snares cause welfare harm
Welfare Considerations
Deer caught in snares experience acute injury from the wire cutting into flesh, combined with the physiological stress of prolonged struggle. Animals not found quickly develop severe wounds that progress to infection, and many die from exsanguination or exhaustion before rescue. The indiscriminate nature of snares means welfare harm extends to non-target species including protected raptors that may investigate or become entangled in set snares.
What You Can Do
Report suspected illegal snaring to the police and wildlife crime officers
Support campaigns for a complete ban on snares in your country
Donate to wildlife crime investigation organizations
Raise awareness about snare welfare impacts among rural landowners
Advocate for stronger penalties for illegal snare use