USPCA 'horrified and appalled' after 'petrified' young female badger was caught in a snare in Co Tyrone

The petrified young badger was discovered by a member of the public, who immediately contacted the animal welfare charity.

The charity says that "free running snares” are legal in Northern Ireland and are primarily used for ‘wildlife management’, targeting the likes of rabbits and foxes. Under the Snares Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, a snare must be checked at least once a day and must not be set “in a place or in such manner where an animal caught by the snare is likely to – (a)become fully or partially suspended, or (b) drown”.

The USPCA said it was unable to determine how long the badger was trapped, but that the depth of the hole the badger had dug in an attempt to free itself indicates that it was over a lengthy period.

"You can imagine how distressing this would have been for the animal,” it said. “Upon being safely retrieved by Wildlife Rescue Officer Phil McCartney, the badger was examined by the USPCA veterinary team who determined that the wounds were superficial and apart from being dehydrated, the animal would make a full recovery.

"The badger was kept overnight for treatment and then safely released back into its habitat.”

Colleen Tinnelly, USPCA Chief Operating Officer, said: “This is a very distressing case, snares are indiscriminate in nature and over the years we have seen cases of family pets being caught in them.

"They can cause a great deal of pain and injury to an animal. In this instance the PSNI have been informed as badgers are protected by law in Northern Ireland under the Wildlife Order (Northern Ireland) 1985 as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. It is a criminal offence to cause harm to these animals.

“Our team did a fantastic job in safely retrieving this poor badger and providing it with treatment and comfort. Thankfully following the removal of the snare and the provision of pain relief, it showed great signs of improvement and was able to be released back into its own habitat.

“We’re very grateful to the member of the public who made us aware of this badger and assisted in its recovery and re-release.”

“The USPCA recognises the necessity of capturing animals on a limited scale for a variety of reasons, however the only acceptable means of doing so is using live traps, and only when the trap is capable of restraining an animal without causing pain or injury and is visited at least every 12 hours. In our view, there is no body-grip trap which does not cause unacceptable suffering.

“In incidents like this, the USPCA would urge the public to report it to the PSNI and or to speak to a member of our team on 028 3025 1000.”

The USPCA is the second oldest animal welfare charity in the world. Formed in 1836, its aims are the prevention of cruelty to animals, the relief of suffering in animals and the advancement of animal welfare.