The Code Compliant New Snare with Breakaway

This is a much-touted snare that was designed by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and
while it can be found much more often, the extra cost ensures it is not widespread in its use.

The Welsh parliament looked into banning snares in 2017, but instead decided in promoting the use
of the new breakaway snare in a new Code of Practice for Wales.

However, while the claim is deer and hares can escape because of the stop is fixed wider
than before, our experience is this is not the case.

On the Norfolk Estate, Arundel, the new breakaway snare is in use, but here you will see it catches
deer, hares, dogs – and good evidence badgers are not escaping.

Further, this snare was used in the field trials carried out by DEFRA working with GWCT and
reported on in “Determining the Extent and Humaneness of Snares in England and Wales”.

This was
published in 2012 and showed that badgers were being caused significant injuries in these
snares, and not escaping unscathed as predicted.

We cannot pull the breakaway apart even with leather gloves and using full strength – so
imagine a badger trying to do it with its neck!