Proposed Scottish Green Party Legislation

The SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY wants to ban all fox, hare and potentially other wild mammal control in Scotland.

Alison Johnstone MSP is looking to draft a Private Member’s Bill and has launched a public consultation exercise to that end.

As reckless as this proposed legislation might sound to anyone with a basic grounding in the realities of the natural world and farming, we cannot ignore this threat and need to respond robustly and intelligently.

It may be that this proposed Bill is simply a way of forcing ScotGov to take action on fox control via strengthening the current Protection of Wild Mammals Act following the Lord Bonomy Review. Equally it may generate its own momentum via those ideologically opposed to wildlife management in any form. Whichever, doing nothing is not an option for any of us.

On behalf of its members SACS is making the below response to the online consultation. We are asking SACS members to also respond to the consultation. Some of the questions are deliberately designed to confuse. Please read our response and guidance below before completing the online consultation.

The questionnaire is quite lengthy. We think this is to discourage people from responding. Please do not be put off by this; we need you to stand with other SACS members and add your shoulder to the shield.

Please note, this is not just about fox control with dogs, but about making foxes, hares and potentially other wild mammals protected species regardless of the method of control.

The consultation closes on 15th September 2019. Please respond now so you don’t forget.

Our guidance to responses and a link to the online consultation questionnaire is within the link below.