Snares and traps are used extensively in UK pest and predator control, causing significant suffering to both target species and non-target animals caught accidentally.
Snares cause suffering through prolonged restraint - captured animals may be left for hours or days before a trapper checks. Struggle injuries are common and painful. Non-target captures are significant - surveys suggest 30-50% of animals caught are not the target species. Domestic cats, hares, badgers, and deer are regularly snared and killed accidentally. Scotland's 2024 ban demonstrates that snare-free predator management is feasible.