BHPS A24 TRAP PETITION POSTERS & LEAFLETS
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As you will no doubt already be aware, the BHPS has launched a petition for the withdrawal of the A24 trap designed and used in New Zealand specifically to kill hedgehogs. If we are to stand any chance of reaching the 100.000 target we need everybody to help spread the word. This trap is out there now and your regular visitors could be the next ones to be bludgeoned!
I have included the links for the BHPS petition poster and smaller printer friendly leaflets. You could hand them out in the school playground, at parties, at work or anywhere else that you can think of.
Please, Please hand out as many as you can, the sooner we reach the target the sooner we can stop the carnage!
Colour poster. https://flic.kr/p/T35eVt
Black/white poster. https://flic.kr/p/S6tKdU
Leaflets. https://flic.kr/p/S9444K
Hi Penny
Thanks again for the posters. Desperately needed now. There have been well under 500 ‘signatures’ for the last 8 days. Hopefully with some of your posters all over the place it will make a difference.
Hi Penny
The response from DEFRA has now appeared on the Petition page. It is more or less what we have heard before i.e. it is the Trapper’s responsibility, it is tested to be humane, etc.
It seems that the Petition’s Committee can call for the matter to be debated even if it doesn’t reach the 100,000. So, it has become even more important for everyone to write to their MPs.Hi Nic,
Yes, I read somewhere on another petition that did reach 100.000 signatures, that it is critical that you have the support of your local MP.
I also read that there have been occasions where animals have not been killed immediately by these traps or have become stuck and suffered unnecessarily. Because these traps require no regular maintenance or resetting and can be left unattended for up to six months, surely the RSPCA need to be informed as well.
Yes, Penny – the whole thing is just so ghastly. But the Petition rate of signatures has slowed down very dramatically now. EVERYONE on Hedgehog Street really needs to sign for it to get anywhere. I’m not sure people are realising how important their signature is. But it really is a case of every vote counts.
Hi Penny
You might be interested to know. I went into the local Farmers Shop and had a look at traps. I am pleased to say that they were not selling the A24. I also looked up their shop on line and could not see it there either. So that is one consolation.
Have sent another letter to my MP following his reply. Awaiting another response.
Hi Nic,
Glad to hear that they’re not selling that horrendous killing machine locally. I just shudder at the thought that any old numpty can go and buy one of these things and set it up in their back garden without a second thought.
I hope you have better luck with your MP this time, I’m still working on my letter; hoping to get it in the post later today.
We could do with some more publicity about the petition, we need an airing on the TV to get those numberts up. Any ideas anybody, any friends in high places???
Hi Penny
Unfortunately I don’t know anyone with friends in ‘ high places’ – if only! But I agree that is what we need. You know you can email your MP?
Love the word numpty!
I gave one of your posters to someone from the local hospital – so hopefully they may put it up in their staff room. I think I’ll have to start having hedgehog conversations in the queue at the supermarket!
I received the generic reply on the petition signing. Do people realise the impact this trap could have on our native wildlife.
My reply was;
Surely it is your responsibility having given permission to allow the use of this trap to monitor its use and to ensure it is being used for its designated purpose, a study needs to be made to measure its impact on native wildlife.
“It is for the trapper to make sure conditions of use are complied with and offences against protected species are not committed.”
How is this assessed and enforced??This trap has the potential to cause a lot of harm, particularly if used indiscriminately – it’s not just hedgehogs at risk, squirrels, birds, mammals – protected and non protected species. Anyone who pokes their head in the wrong ‘door’ is at risk.
If the trap was designed for use on rats and stoats fine but its design was also for use on hedgehogs abroad and I am assuming the design hasn’t been adapted for use in the U.K. The tunnel suggestion is ridiculous, the manufacturer doesn’t produce a tunnel and if one was setup this wouldn’t separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’. You don’t have a turn left for rats/stoats, turn right protected and non-protected British Wildlife.
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.Some very good points, Nic and Nina, how on earth DEFRA can keep defending their decision to approve this wildlife killing machine is beyond me.
Fay Vass (BHPS) was on radio Hereford & worcester this morning and did a great job promoting the petition, so hopefully it might just make the nationals.
I wrote to Ann Widdecombe this morning ( annwiddecombe.com ) she is big on hedgehog welfare and helped with the campaign to stop the culling of hedgehogs on the Uists up in Scotland in 2003, so it would be great if she could help get the word out…Fingers crossed. 🙂
Hi Penny
I really hope Kay Vass’ interview gets the publicity it deserves. The Peititon is certainly in desperate need of some.
Personally, I’m running out of ideas! Still 5 months to go though.
Good luck with getting Ann Widdecombe involved.
I have just been looking at the response from DEFRA again and have realised that in their last paragraph, DEFRA have given the very reason why this trap should never have been given a licence in the first place. They say :
‘Where the safety of protected species cannot be reasonably assured, the use of non-lethal methods of capture, such as cage trapping, should be employed so non-target species can be released unharmed if accidently captured.’
The safety of hedgehogs, a protected species in this respect, cannot be reasonably assured with use of this trap, (whatever tunnels or casing are used).Hi Nic,
It just shows how incompetent DEFRA are; you would make a very good lawyer, if you aren’t one already.There was a very good piece about the A24 trap and the threats facing hedgehogs on BBC Midlands TV last night with Fay Vass, so the word is getting out there. I don’t know if you have noticed on the new Hedgehog Street home page, but in the bottom right hand corner are the ‘tweets’ which give updates on upcoming interviews etc.
Simba may have been the victor the other night, but it seems that his rival is wooing all the ladies; you would not believe the goings on on the doorstep the other night, do they have no shame! I can’t wait for the pitter patter of tiny feet. 🙂
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