The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, first published in April 2023, includes legislation banning the use, sale and purchase of glue boards for rodent management.
The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, which is reviewing the Bill, has called for clarity on how the ban on glue boards would work in practice, given the lack of alternative measures in place for quick capture on high-risk sites.
BPCA’s main concern during this process has been the evidence given by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC).
While acknowledging that there are no current alternatives, the SAWC has repeatedly voiced the opinion that there could be better solutions for animal welfare on the horizon. However, they have been unable to suggest what these may be.
Ian Andrew, BPCA chief executive, said: “It’s been a tough battle to be heard, but today feels like we’ve made significant progress. We’ve been loud and clear: there are no alternative tools for high-risk sites where immediacy is critical.
“While we understand and sympathise with animal welfare concerns, our main priority has to be protecting public health”.