Humane fox snares

Apparently if you pee on them (easier for the male of the species!), animals will then avoid them. A friend's dog got caught in one and was badly injured. The gamekeeper paid the vet's bill after a bit of a kerfuffle!
 
Just an aside from someone who used to control foxes. Snares may not be very humane but they are a lot more humane than the fox that attacks a pregnant ewe incapacitated through being in labour or on it's back.

I have seen plenty of cases where foxes have made these attacks by entering at the soft tissue areas, i.e. anus, behind the shoulder, or the udder. Any country vet in a large animal practice will confirm this. And if you think a hungry fox is bothered whether the ewe is alive or dead, you are looking at life through rose tinted spectacles. Farmers control foxes for a very good reason. It is not always possible to use a gun and where it is a clean kill cannot always be guaranteed. Foxes that survive get very clever and don't make it easy for someone to shoot them!

And now farmers have another problem -- badgers which spread disease and are protected by law are increasingly attacking sheep and lambs! Perhaps the authorities should leave the management of the countryside to country people? We have been doing it successfully for centuries.

As for hunting with hounds, the fox is either dead or escapes. Sounds pretty humane to me.
 
Dry Rot said:
Just an aside from someone who used to control foxes. Snares may not be very humane but they are a lot more humane than the fox that attacks a pregnant ewe incapacitated through being in labour or on it's back.
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Your point being that because foxes do nasty things to other animals it's okay to do nasty things (albeit less nasty) to them?

As for hunting with hounds, the fox is either dead or escapes. Sounds pretty humane to me.
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Although I can't get into the mind of a fox, I imagine being chased and escaping is less unpleasant than being stuck in a snare for hours. On the other hand, I also imagine that being chased, caught and bitten by hounds is rather more unpleasant. At least the end is quick, even if it's horrid.
 
fburton said:
Your point being that because foxes do nasty things to other animals it's okay to do nasty things (albeit less nasty) to them?


Although I can't get into the mind of a fox, I imagine being chased and escaping is less unpleasant than being stuck in a snare for hours. On the other hand, I also imagine that being chased, caught and bitten by hounds is rather more unpleasant. At least the end is quick, even if it's horrid.
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And your experience of foxes and their control is....?
 
In addition to the distress to the animal, I hope that, given that there is no 'season' for snares, gamekeepers take note if a vixen is lactating, and release her unharmed from the snare to ensure that her cubs don't starve underground. :(
 
I've just found a very dead fox which had somehow got caught up in our anti rabbit electric netting. Poor s0d had wrapped the netting tight round its neck in its futile efforts to escape. Horrific way to go, but presumably snares are the same, minus the electric shocks?
 
Tiddlypom said:
I've just found a very dead fox which had somehow got caught up in our anti rabbit electric netting. Poor s0d had wrapped the netting tight round its neck in its futile efforts to escape. Horrific way to go, but presumably snares are the same, minus the electric shocks?
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Not really because they are checked at least twice a day and the fox shot quickly so it's not a drawn out death
 
poiuytrewq said:
Not really because they are checked at least twice a day and the fox shot quickly so it's not a drawn out death
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I thought they only needed to be checked once every 24 hours or less, at least in Scotland. Is it at least once every 12 hours or less in England?

Also, the death itself might not be drawn out - but there could be many unpleasant hours "on death row", no?
 
No I'm not saying it's right but it's obviously better than strangling to death in electric fencing.

I'm unsure on legalities but this farms rules are they get checked a minimum of twice a day. If the gamekeeper can't then one of the lads on the farm takes over.
 
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