Animal welfare is devolved, and since 2023 the four nations have genuinely diverged. This is the same practice compared across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the primary source and a last-checked date against every cell.
This is a description of the law, not legal advice. Every row links to the primary source and carries the date it was last checked. Check the source before relying on it — general licences are reissued each January and commencement dates move.
A snare is a wire noose set to catch an animal by the neck or body. Two nations have prohibited use outright; two permit it subject to conditions.
Self-locking snares are prohibited. Free-running snares may be set, and a person who sets one must inspect it at least once every day.
The Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published 22 December 2025, states that the government will ban snare traps. No commencement date has been announced.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Section 46 amended the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to prohibit setting in position or using any snare or other cable restraint in Wales. The section contains no licensing exception.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Section 6 amended the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to prohibit setting or using a snare to kill or take any animal other than a wild bird, and prevents a licence authorising snare use. Commenced by SSI 2024/267.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Snares may be used subject to conditions: free-running, fitted with a stop and a swivel, staked or attached to prevent dragging, checked at least once every 24 hours, and not set where a caught animal could become suspended or drown. Breach is an offence under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. The Order came into operation the day after it was affirmed by resolution of the Assembly; that date is not recorded here.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
A glue trap is a board coated in adhesive, used mainly against rodents. The four nations differ on whether use is an offence and on whether a licence is available.
It is an offence to set a glue trap in England for the purpose of catching a rodent. Professional pest controllers may hold a licence issued by Natural England under the Glue Traps (Licensing) Regulations 2024. Commenced by SI 2024/686.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Section 46 amended the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to prohibit setting in position or using a glue trap in Wales to kill or take any vertebrate other than a human. The section contains no licensing exception.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Using, supplying and possessing a glue trap are each offences. Section 5 allows Scottish Ministers to make regulations authorising use, supply or possession for the protection of public health where no other method of rodent control is practicable. Commenced by SSI 2026/127.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
No Northern Ireland legislation prohibiting glue traps has been identified. The Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 creates offences in England. The Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 applies to any animal caught.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Trail hunting is the activity in which a dog is directed to find and follow an animal-based scent laid for that purpose. It is defined in statute in Scotland; elsewhere it is described in government consultation documents.
The Hunting Act 2004 prohibits hunting a wild mammal with a dog. It does not prohibit trail hunting, in which a dog follows an animal-based scent laid for that purpose.
Defra consulted on proposals to prohibit trail hunting in England and Wales between 26 March and 18 June 2026. The consultation states that the ban is not intended to extend to drag hunting or clean boot hunting.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
The Hunting Act 2004 extends to England and Wales and prohibits hunting a wild mammal with a dog. It does not prohibit trail hunting.
Defra consulted on proposals to prohibit trail hunting in England and Wales between 26 March and 18 June 2026. The consultation states that the ban is not intended to extend to drag hunting or clean boot hunting.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
It is an offence to engage or participate in trail hunting unless an exception under section 16 applies. Trail hunting is defined in section 14 as the activity in which a dog is directed to find and follow an animal-based scent laid for that purpose. Commenced by SSI 2023/262.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
The Hunting Act 2004 extends to England and Wales. No Northern Ireland legislation prohibiting hunting wild mammals with dogs or trail hunting has been identified.
The Hunting with Dogs Bill, a private member's bill introduced in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 27 April 2026, would prohibit hunting a wild mammal with a dog and prohibit trail hunting. It completed Second Stage on 26 May 2026 and stands referred to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
legislation.gov.uk · checked 22 August 2026
Feral pigeons are wild birds. Killing or taking them is an offence unless done under licence, and each nation issues its own general licence.
Feral pigeon may be killed or taken under GL41 to preserve public health or public safety. Valid 1 January to 31 December 2026. No registration is required and actions taken do not have to be reported. For feral pigeon the licence permits use of a device for illuminating a target and a sighting device for shooting, including shooting at night.
GOV.UK · checked 22 August 2026
Feral pigeon is the only species on GL002, which permits killing or taking the bird and taking or destroying its nests or eggs to preserve public health or public safety or prevent the spread of disease. Valid 1 January to 31 December 2026. Written records are recommended for three years, not required.
Natural Resources Wales · checked 22 August 2026
Feral pigeon may be killed or taken, and nests and eggs damaged or destroyed, under general licence GL03/2026 for the preservation of public health and public safety and preventing the spread of disease. Valid 1 January to 31 December 2026.
NatureScot · checked 22 August 2026
TPG1 permits an authorised person to kill or take feral pigeon and jackdaw to preserve public health or public safety. Issued under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and valid 1 January to 31 December 2026.
DAERA · checked 22 August 2026
Status describes the position today. Anything proposed, consulted on or before a legislature is shown separately as a proposed change, and is never counted as law.
“Not recorded” means not recorded. Where a commencement date or an instrument has not been confirmed against a primary source, the cell says so rather than estimating.
Data: /api/law.json. Corrections with a primary source are welcome — a wrong cell here is worse than a missing one.