Approved spring traps for wildlife
The Pests Act 1954 makes it is an offence to use a spring trap for the purposes of killing or taking animals in England and Wales other than one approved by an Order of the Secretary of State. The approval of traps is a devolved issue.
Traps that are currently approved in England are specified in The Spring Traps Approval Order 1995 (Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 2427) and The Spring Traps Approval (Variation)(England) Order 2007 (Statutory Instrument 2007 No. 2708.
The1995 Order allows the types equivalent in all relevant respects to those named under the 1995 Order, sometimes referred to as ‘clones’. A list of those believed to be covered was included in a press-release in 1997. However any spring-trap which meets the criteria in the 1995 Order would be covered so it is not possible, or meaningful, to give a comprehensive list of such clones. If you rely on a trap being approved by virtue of being a ‘clone’ rather than being listed in either Order by make and model, you should refer to the exact wording of the Order.
Certain traps adapted solely for the destruction of rats, mice or other small ground vermin are excluded from this general prohibition. The Small Ground Vermin Order 1958 identified two such trap types. These are spring traps known as break-back traps commonly used for rats, mice and other small ground vermin, and spring traps of the kind commonly used for catching moles in their runs. Leg-hold traps are prohibited within the European Union by Council Regulation (EEC) 3254/91.
The European Union is discussing with Member States implementation of an Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards. This will set new standards for the approval and use of traps for wildlife management in Europe.
Species listed in Schedules 5 and 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, for which spring traps are approved by naming the species in the Order (e.g. Edible Dormice, Glis glis) or which fall under the term ‘small ground vermin’, would still need a licence to allow their taking or killing under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Applications for such licences should be made to Natural England.
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last modified: 27 September 2007
Page published: 11 July 2003