Campaigners mark the ‘Inglorious Twelfth’ by calling for a ban on snares in England

With the grouse shooting season or ‘Inglorious Twelfth’ starting again today, national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports is urging the UK government to deliver on its promise to ban the brutal traps known as snares in England.

These cruel wire traps are set by gamekeepers on large swathes of moorland used for grouse shooting to kill wildlife such as foxes, and to maintain artificially high stocks of grouse so that hundreds of thousands of birds can in turn be shot for ‘sport’.

Snares work by tightening around the neck, upper body or legs of any animal that enters one, causing immense pain and suffering, before the victim is shot by the gamekeeper or faces a lingering death.

These brutal traps were banned in Wales in 2023 and in 2024 they were also banned in Scotland.

Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Snares are cruel and indiscriminate traps which have no place in a nation of animal lovers and should be consigned to the history books.

“We welcome the government’s commitment to ban snares and call on them to act soon and introduce legislation to ban them in England and end the suffering and torment our wildlife currently endures.”

UK government figures show up to 200,000 of these traps are being used in the English countryside at any one time.

The devices trap indiscriminately – the same government research shows nearly three quarters of the animals caught are not the intended target species and include animals such as badgers, hares, and people’s pets.

The Labour Party pledged to ban snares in England in its most recent general election manifesto and repeated this promise in its Animal Welfare Strategy published last December.

Polling commissioned by the League and carried out independently by YouGov, showed that 71 per cent of people who live in England believe that the use of snares should be made illegal in the country, with the number rising to 80 per cent among people living in rural areas.

Andy Burnham has previously gone on the record about the need to “tackle wildlife crime and cruelty on shooting estates.” and said more recently that: “I fully support the animal welfare strategy.”

New environment secretary Angela Eagle has previously said that: “I … support moves to prevent animals getting trapped in snares.”

Emma added: “The time for change is now. The government is pushing against an open door if they move to ban snares in England as they have the overwhelming support of the general public.”

Ends

Notes to editors

The results of the polling are available here:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,954 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 13th January 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in England (aged 18+).

The Welsh Government banned snares in October 2023 and a ban on snares in Scotland came into force in March 2024.

For more information or interview requests please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 or email pressoffice@league.org.uk.

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act 2004 and the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021. We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage wildlife reserves to protect animals. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).