Dead badgers dumped at roadside
14 May 2008 - BBC News
A police investigation is continuing in the Borders after two dead badgers
were found dumped on a roadside. The incident took place earlier this month near
Duns and it was later found that both animals had been snared. It has prompted
claims from animal rights groups that people snaring badgers were trying to pass
off their victims as "road kill".
Wildlife group Scottish Badgers has voiced concerns about the incident which
took place on 2 May. It said it had suspected for some time that badgers being
killed illegally were being "dumped amongst the carnage of road kill". Species
Protection Officer Ian Hutchison said it highlighted the cruelty of such snares.
"Snares are meant to restrain animals until such time as the person who sets the
snare comes along and either humanely dispatches the target species or releases
the non-target species unharmed," he said. "Clearly this has not happened here
and both animals have had their necks broken by the snares - one had almost been
beheaded."
It has prompted action group Advocates for Animals to renew its call for an
outright ban on snares. "These traps are far too widely used and far too easy to
misuse," said campaigns director Ross Minnett. "Until they are seen for what
they are - lethal, indiscriminate and unacceptable - tragic incidents of this
type will keep occurring."
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed it was investigating
the incident. "I can confirm that two dead badgers were found at the side of the
road," she said. "Inquiries concluded that they may have been killed by the use
of snares."
She added that anyone with information about the incident should contact
police.
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