Laws

[StevoSmith 147]

I have been walking my dogs today on a council owned public park and seen lots of rabbits.....i was wondering how the law lies regaurding shooting there...obviously when no body is around..?

 

Do i need to speak to local council?

[gurtwurz 792]

hi stevo,

i wouldnt know myself,but i'dbe interested if anybody knows owt about this as i've got a recreation field near me that could do with looking at, rabbitwise.

hope someone can help!

 

cheers, wurz

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Stevo.

If it's council land, you need to speak to the council department that looks after the parks and commons in you area. As it is a designated public access place, the likelyhood of getting the green light to shoot the rabbits there is very unlikely, as grass pasture does not constitute an edible crop and therefore, they are not being pests in legal definition. The council probably employs professional pest controllers to deal with their numbers getting out of hand anyway.

 

Same situation with your recreation ground really Wurz.

 

But the worst they can answer your enquiry is No. So give it a try. I'd be very surprised to hear they'd say yes. The main thing is, never attempt to enter this type of land with your air rifles without written permission, or you are facing major firearms charges from the police. "Armed Tresspass" being the very least of them.

 

Give the council parks department a go and see how you get on. Good luck!

Simon

Edited January 4, 2011 by pianoman

[StevoSmith 147]

It is adjacent to allotments and i have seen rabbits in amongst the crops lol......will that make it slightly diif?

[matt_hooks 188]

Not really Stevo. You might approach whoever runs the allotments, as they are more likely to give you permission in a place that's not directly public, as long as you can prove that you're competent and safe.

 

As for the parkland, the council DO have a duty to control the rabbits. Every part of the UK, apart from a few spots (the "square mile" in London, and the IOM I think, though could be wrong) is a permanent rabbit clearance zone, meaning land owners have a legal duty to control the rabbits. Of course, how they do this is up to them. Most councils will gas warrens and the like, rather than allow shooting on "public" land.

 

Course, it's worth the ask! I do know that some councils have given permission for airgun culls of pigeons in town centres before, so it's not like there's no precedent. (I know that Bedford Council allowed it for a while, if you need an example to show them)

 

Make sure that you have done as mch as you can to prove you are safe and responsible. Insurance is an absolute basic, and if you can get references in writing from existing permissions that show you are safe and considerate, it can only help.

 

As someone above said, there is NO legal way of doing it other than to get that permission from the council. PLEASE don't consider "just popping over the fence for a few" as we don't want to be advising you in a few weeks time when you've had your guns seized and are facing prosecution for armed trespass! (my advice in that case would be "get a good solicitor and kiss goodbye to any chance of ever owning guns again")

 

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

[Phantom 631]

Hi Stevo.

If it's council land, you need to speak to the council department that looks after the parks and commons in you area. As it is a designated public access place, the likelyhood of getting the green light to shoot the rabbits there is very unlikely, as grass pasture does not constitute an edible crop and therefore, they are not being pests in legal definition. The council probably employs professional pest controllers to deal with their numbers getting out of hand anyway.

 

Same situation with your recreation ground really Wurz.

 

But the worst they can answer your enquiry is No. So give it a try. I'd be very surprised to hear they'd say yes. The main thing is, never attempt to enter this type of land with your air rifles without written permission, or you are facing major firearms charges from the police. "Armed Tresspass" being the very least of them.

 

Give the council parks department a go and see how you get on. Good luck!

Simon

 

Speak to the council, you may be suprised

Especially if they want to shift em (they have a legal duty to do this) and their own PC's are overstretched.

 

Simon, in the UK Rabbits don't need to be a 'pest' in regards to how we see other pests crop damage health protection etc.....

The ENTIRE UK (apart from the City of Westminster and the Isle's of Scilly) is a rabbit clearance zone by Law and rabbits are to be wiped out (like that will ever happen!) or a more "Practical" way of doing things is Controlled

 

Phantom

[ghillies 209]

i think if its anything biznes like, or council etc theres an insurence issue, 5 mill public liability isnt enough so you need a ten mill polocy before they'll even concider anything, the laws you have to know...they wont exspect to be telling you sort of thing.