Leader: Ban snares to end barbaric cruelty to animals

The ban on the hunting of foxes by hounds introduced by the Scottish Parliament in 2002 was a controversial but wise piece of legislation.
Supporters of hunting were certainly correct to argue that the pastime was one of long-standing tradition, but it was also utterly barbaric.
Of course, the fox is a pest that must be dealt with, but there are humane ways of keeping the population down.
It is unthinkable today that we would ever see a change in the law in Scotland to allow foxes to be torn apart by dogs. It is broadly accepted that this is a “sport” of the past.
But there is more to be... read more