Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

One year on from the enactment of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act, Scottish fox populations are thriving, leading to considerable losses of lambs and other farm animals.

Several farmers have contacted the Alliance to report significantly higher than normal fox predation since the ban came into force. One farmer from the Borders noted "In the spring I lost more than 30 lambs in a fortnight - which is far higher than anything I have ever seen. I cannot carry on losing animals at that sort of rate". This case is not unusual.

Scottish Countryside Alliance Director Allan Murray commented: "We have consistently said that any ban on hunting would have an adverse impact on animal welfare, and it gives us no pleasure whatsoever to find that we were right. This ban was based on prejudice and intolerance; it was not based on concerns for animal welfare. But now, one year on from the Watson Act, both people and animals are suffering. This huge number of foxes will mean an increase in disease and malnutrition within the population, resulting in more and more farm animals being taken.

"We are currently pursuing a case to overturn the ban through the Scottish courts, but while we are in this state of limbo farmers, hunt staff, the equestrian industry, the animals themselves, all will continue to suffer from a piece of legislation that has done something to them rather than for them".

Ends...

Date: Thursday 31st July 2003
Release: Immediate

Notes to Editors

• 1st August marks the first anniversary of the enactment of the Wild Mammals Protection (Scotland) Act.
  

For further details please call Allan Murray on 0131 335 0200