The Future, Where Do We Stand As Trappers?

[snakey 4]

I know trapping comes with a lot of negativety as regards to the general public, ie do you have to kill it, is there a humane way of dealing with it, a lot of questions asked, as a professional pest controller dealing mainly with rural pest control how do you see our future.

Is the government going to come down on us in a big way or is it going to go the opposite way.

Do you guys see our job being restricted or maybe not? questions eh?

[outandabout 27]

I think that current legislation covers all the bases well. Only approved spring traps can be sold and used, we have sensible rules on how traps may be set, and how often they must be inspected etc. Most genuine pest controllers may also at certain times make additional visits to the required legislated interval, to ensure the work is carried out humanely - these visits made purely for animal welfare reasons.

 

I hope that legislation won't tighten up, and from my experience I think the current legislation is perfectly adequate to ensure our activities are humane.

 

As for a negative image in the public eye, there will always be people against what ever form of trapping or other pest control - but these people often abandon these views when affected by a pest problem themselves. Seen this many times

 

Just my tuppence worth, it'll be interesting to hear other opinions on this

 

Atb. Steve.

[snakey 4]

Found this problem myself, did`nt want to catch the bugger but as soon as the problem was on their door step could`nt wait to get rid. I see the situ only getting worse. Good for us but will legislation allow?

I think that current legislation covers all the bases well. Only approved spring traps can be sold and used, we have sensible rules on how traps may be set, and how often they must be inspected etc. Most genuine pest controllers may also at certain times make additional visits to the required legislated interval, to ensure the work is carried out humanely - these visits made purely for animal welfare reasons.

 

I hope that legislation won't tighten up, and from my experience I think the current legislation is perfectly adequate to ensure our activities are humane.

 

As for a negative image in the public eye, there will always be people against what ever form of trapping or other pest control - but these people often abandon these views when affected by a pest problem themselves. Seen this many times

 

Just my tuppence worth, it'll be interesting to hear other opinions on this

 

Atb. Steve.

[heritage 202]

In all honesty...., I think trapping is in shit creek,

Current legislation dosent cover the bases well at all as traps that aren't legal in the uk are still being bought and used daily under the "clone" ruling.....the stao itself is a disgrace as it contains everything from traps that would never work to peoples prized antiques..., where do I think its all going ? Well I think beurocracy will eventually get trapping restricted so much it simply won't be worth continuing...., imagine registered trappers,trap tags, mole trap legislation..,i think its all on the cards.what would I do ? Well I'd give the stao a shake up for a start, id also increase training and public awareness in an attempt to ensure the future of trapping is safeguarded and I'd like to see the return of large scale,British trap manufacturing as the cost of the larger / imported traps is abysmal in my opinion.....

[heritage 202]

As an example to my above reply ask yourself this......

How many rabbits/ squirrel/mink are caught annually in non-approved "fenn type" traps.....

How many trappers out there run a line of sawyers or Lloyd traps.......

When talking snare locks, define "free running"....

Has anyone actually bought,used and caught a rabbit in a doc trap ?

Clarify what exactly constitutes a natural tunnel....

 

Just a few examples of why I think the future of trapping is looking uncertain.....Atb

[The one 8,479]

Its all going to get a big shake up see what there doing to snaring in scotland , i believe thats just the start

[snakey 4]

I honestly believe that Scotland will be the blue print for the rest of us as regards to trapping and shooting.

Its all going to get a big shake up see what there doing to snaring in scotland , i believe thats just the start

[Matt 160]

It's an interesting topic.

 

We have an out of date trap approval process, that we've been told for at least 10 years is going to change. Until then, we have a mad system where it's quite legal to sell second rate copies of well known traps.

 

Only last week, I was contacted by a Wildlife 'consultant' who is trying to get certain mole traps banned, and all others subjected to approval the same as spring traps. Several recent studies into the humaneness of mole traps has been carried out, and those who seek to curtail trapping would love to see yet more restrictions imposed on us.

 

As others have said, where Scotland leads, England and Wales tend to follow. I can see a situation developing where we are all going to be required to tag traps and have licences.

 

The really mad thing is that there is no licensing of pest controllers in the UK. Anyone can call themselves a pest controller and have easy access to pesticides and yet it's trapping that will be first in the spotlight.

 

That is why it's so important to do things properly. A trap or snare misused will effect us all. We've all seen pictures taken out of context and used against us, so now is the time for caution.

[snakey 4]

I agree with you Matt that we have a seriously out of date trap approval process, god you have only to look on ebay to see that! There has to be a tighter regime as to which companys sell them and to a high standard, otherwise were going to end up with untrained cowboys killing our industry

It's an interesting topic.

 

We have an out of date trap approval process, that we've been told for at least 10 years is going to change. Until then, we have a mad system where it's quite legal to sell second rate copies of well known traps.

 

Only last week, I was contacted by a Wildlife 'consultant' who is trying to get certain mole traps banned, and all others subjected to approval the same as spring traps. Several recent studies into the humaneness of mole traps has been carried out, and those who seek to curtail trapping would love to see yet more restrictions imposed on us.

 

As others have said, where Scotland leads, England and Wales tend to follow. I can see a situation developing where we are all going to be required to tag traps and have licences.

 

The really mad thing is that there is no licensing of pest controllers in the UK. Anyone can call themselves a pest controller and have easy access to pesticides and yet it's trapping that will be first in the spotlight.

 

That is why it's so important to do things properly. A trap or snare misused will effect us all. We've all seen pictures taken out of context and used against us, so now is the time for caution.

[moley 115]

im suprised an organisation like the NGO hasnt done something to improve traps and trapping standards, keepers rely heavily on traps and snares to do thier work , someone needs to develop a new all singing all dancing trap that will do the job efficiently and humanely or at least beef up what we have now and make it law to use them in the correct sized holes , tunnels or boxes , which help with their humaneness

[pest 5]

matt do agree with you - snakey agree with you to - something needs to be done .

[logun 91]

moley... i think the reason why are traps ain't up to scratch is trap seller here ain't the knowledge to design or manufacture traps any more... quick fix get rich fast method been employed by them for years now..and by some who ain't the skills to do so.. looks at the tube trap for instance ,, why ?? why pay such a price when a fenn in a tunnel do the same job....the kania ,, why when a gripper does the same job ... traps it seems are now catching more people than pests.. i agree traps need beefing up a bit ,but lets hope it don't go the way of the doc ,as that's just about useless here.. but again .its a trap that some will profit from..

[moley 115]

you got a valid point, its all about cash , not animal welfare

[heritage 202]

The faults go back much further than suppliers or end users....,the "powers that be" also have a lot to answer for.., just take a look at the snare situation. They make the use of stops and breakaways mandatory but they failed to recognise the fact that there aren't any readily available to snare builders in the uk..,

 

Then there's the laws or guidelines..... They just aren't specific enough and so there open to an individuals interpretation ..., how many times on here have you read posts where a trap user targeting loft space squirrels dosen't use the legally required cubby as in there eyes it isn't required....

 

The worst part of all...the more laws,legislation and governing bodies we have involved the greater the financial cost.

[Matt 160]

It's a shame the likes of Alan Fenn and Frank Sawyer have gone.

 

They cared about trapping, and worked to build new humane traps that were effective.

 

We'll never see their like again, sadly.

 

One of the problems is that we are no longer the great manufacturing country we once were. Even if someone came up with a good idea, it would end up being made in the far east.