Are you sure you can reply to that email? I thought it was a no reply one.
I wrote to DEFRA direct as well and maybe that is what you meant.
Well done for getting your reply done so quickly. I have yet to do that one.
I agree. How can they not see what a huge mistake they have made. I would think it would be virtually impossible to create any outer casing which would exclude any hedgehog from entering. Bearing in mind how much they vary in size, how they can squeeze through small gaps, are used to going into boxes to nest, rest, eat, etc. Also, it is making a BIG assumption that the trapper is an expert in hedgehogs, their lifestyle, habits etc. and would even have a vague idea of how to build such a casing so as to exclude hedgehogs. And that is if they even realised that it was required – as the trap is sold as a rat/stoat trap. In the case of red squirrels they could make the argument that they wouldn’t use them in those areas, but this would not apply in the case of hedgehogs. It is almost inviting people to inadvertently break the law – And Hedgehogs would be the losers.
Surely, in any event a trap should not be sold here, which requires another casing around it, which it is left to the trapper to build. It seems the whole thing was not thought through properly.
It may be argued that the traps would be checked daily. But bearing in mind that hedgehogs seem to follow the trail of other hedgehogs – otherwise how would so many find their way to our feeding stations – a trap could potentially kill multiple hedgehogs in one night. Chucking them out and resetting itself. This is after all what they are used for in New Zealand.
PLEASE EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, SIGN BHPS’s PETITION TO HAVE THE LICENCE FOR THIS TRAP WITHDRAWN IN THIS COUNTRY.
The direct link is: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/183526
YOUR VOICE REALLY DOES COUNT.
