Breaches in farm animal welfare in Scotland have long been a serious issue in abattoirs across the country. Following an investigation by The Ferret and Bureau of Investigate Journalism, the shocking reality of the issue has been laid out in black and white, leaving Scotland’s slaughterhouses with nowhere to hide and some serious explaining to… Read more
Scotland Bill to ban wild animal circuses comes close
Scotland could be a wild-animal-circus-free zone by next summer. OneKind understands that the Scottish Government Bill to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses will be lodged before the Scottish Parliament rises for the summer recess. The legislation will not only be an important statement of Scotland’s modern attitudes to animals, it will… Read more
OneKind talks fox hunting and snares at the SNP conference
Sarah Moyes, Onekind’s new campaigner, blogs on her experience representing OneKind at the SNP conference last week. Last week, I headed north for my first party political conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. The SNP conference is the largest party conference in Scotland, and came just days after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced… Read more
Charity welcomes an end to snaring of mountain hares in Scotland
(image credit: Andrew Parkinson) Leading animal protection charity OneKind has welcomed a decision by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) which will effectively end snaring of mountain hares. The decision was made known as part of a wider review of the impact of snaring regulations introduced under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011. Mountain hares… Read more
Snaring mountain hares ends because of ‘unnecessary suffering’
For years, OneKind has argued that snaring mountain hares should be banned. Both because of the suffering it causes and the impact it could be having on the declining population of this native species. This week, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have finally confirmed that they will no longer be issuing licenses for snaring mountain hares,… Read more
Charities call for an end to snaring after SNH review fails to consider a ban
The League Against Cruel Sports Scotland and OneKind are urging the Scottish Government to consider and consult on a ban on snares following a review of snaring in Scotland. The findings of the review, commissioned by the Scottish Government and carried out by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), were published today (Tuesday). The charities have branded… Read more
OneKind calls for urgent action as new evidence emerges of mass culling of of mountain hares
OneKind, Scotland’s leading animal campaigns charity, is calling on the Scottish Government to act swiftly as a truck full of dead mountain hares was spotted in the Scottish Highlands yesterday. The image was taken by wildlife photographer Pete Walkden at 3:59pm on 28 February, the last day of the open season, on the road between… Read more
Scotland has a hare coursing problem. Here’s how to stop it.
Hare coursing is an illegal bloodsport that involves chasing and killing hares with dogs. These dogs are usually ‘sight’ hounds, i.e. dogs that hunt by sight rather than smell such as lurchers and greyhounds. Hare coursers will drive around the countryside and on spotting a hare they will stop and release one, two or occasionally… Read more
It’s time for a Snare-Free Scotland
Last week, we were alerted to another poor fox that had been caught in a snare. The snare had snapped at the stake but got stuck around its middle. The fox managed to run off with the snare still trapped around him, but then went and got caught in another snare. Until snares are banned,… Read more
OneKind welcomes step towards a real hunting ban in Scotland
OneKind has welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment today to strengthen the Protection of Wild Mammals Act. The Act was introduced in 2002 to ban hunting with dogs but has been marred by loopholes that mean that fox hunting continues in Scotland to this day. Harry Huyton, Director of OneKind, said: “Fox hunting was meant to… Read more
Watch out for mountain hare culls
For those that want their estates free of mountain hares this year, there are only six weeks left. On the 1st of March the closed season starts, giving these poor animals respite from persecution during their breeding season. At our #HareCare rally at the Scottish Parliament in November, the Cabinet Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, said… Read more
Scotland’s first industrial puppy farm rejected
Last week, protestors gathered outside East Ayrshire Council HQ as the local authority met to discuss proposals for what would have been Scotland’s first industrial puppy farm. It’s no surprise that these plans were met with overwhelming opposition when they were revealed in back in December. OneKind was just one of the animal welfare charities… Read more
OneKind welcomes East Ayrshire Council decision to reject puppy farm
OneKind has welcomed a decision by East Ayrshire Council to reject an application to create an industrial puppy farm in Ayrshire. The application for a dog breeding or rearing establishment licence under the terms of the Breeding of Dogs Act (1973 and 1991) and the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 was rejected… Read more
Three reasons why fox hunting will be banned in Scotland for good
Boxing Day is one of the big events in the hunt calendar. Today fox hunts across Scotland will once again set out to kill foxes in spite of the so-called ban that was introduced fourteen years ago. For years, OneKind and others have been calling for the law to be updated so that the ban… Read more
OneKind calls on Scottish Government to make this year’s Boxing Day hunts the last
OneKind, Scotland’s leading animal campaigns charity, is calling on the Scottish Government to end fox hunting for good on the busiest day in the hunting calendar. It follows on from a landmark year which saw the publication of Lord Bonomy’s review into fox hunting in Scotland, and the first post-mortem of a hunted fox since… Read more
OneKind calls for a ban on third-party sales of dogs in Scotland
The import of puppies from puppy farms in Ireland and elsewhere is a major concern with determined, unscrupulous individuals trafficking thousands of dogs to Scotland alone. The illegal puppy trade is a blight on animal welfare in Scotland, and we believe this issue must be tackled immediately. There is also a sizeable trade in puppies… Read more
OneKind calls for ban on third-party sales of dogs in Scotland
A leading animal welfare charity is calling for a ban on the third-party sale of dogs in Scotland. It comes ahead of a debate lodged by Emma Harper MSP on Ending the Illegal Puppy Trade. Motion S5M-02454 will be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 21st December. Libby Anderson, Policy Advisor of OneKind, said:… Read more
These are Scotland’s Badger Culls, but they’re 10 times bigger.
Last year 1467 animals were killed in organised culls. 1467 wild animals, native to our country that have become scape goats for a bigger problem. They stand accused of spreading a disease that threatens commercial interests, and they are paying for this with their lives. I am of course referring to England’s badger culls, but… Read more
The Bonomy Review – What is it and where next?
Fox hunting was meant to have been banned in Scotland back in 2002. In reality, loopholes in the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 have meant that little has changed. OneKind has long called for these to be addressed, and we’re delighted that a major step towards this has finally been taken. This week… Read more
This post-mortem demonstrates why Scotland must ban fox hunting for real
This is the first time a carcass has been recovered from a fox hunt and post-mortemed since hunting was ‘banned’ in Scotland back in 2002. Here is what it concluded: “The shot gun pellets appear to have missed the vital organs so in my opinion the shot was not instantly fatal and death will have… Read more
Lord Bonomy review shows Scottish fox hunting law is unfit for purpose
OneKind is calling on the Scottish Government to implement recommendations made by Lord Bonomy in a review of hunting as a matter of urgency. The findings of the long awaited Bonomy review into the operation of fox hunting legislation were published today (Monday). OneKind Director Harry Huyton said: “OneKind has long argued that legislation banning… Read more
New data reveals urgent need to protect mountain hare
With just one week to go until our rally and mass lobby of the Scottish Parliament to end mountain hare culling, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association has rung the alarm bell about the level of culling carried out to protect forestry. Mountain hare are protected by a closed season that runs from 1 March until the… Read more
Hare culls rally & mass lobby – One Week to Go!
On Thursday the 17th of September at midday, OneKind supporters will be rallying in front of the Scottish Parliament to call for an end to the mountain hare culls. Please join us! Most people we talk to are shocked to learn that Scotland’s mountain hares are culled in the first place. Everyone has heard of… Read more
New animal welfare measures fail Scotland’s dogs
Let’s start with some good news. Animal welfare is on the Scottish Government’s agenda and already two very positive initiatives have been kicked off. By 2018 wild animals in circuses will be banned, putting Scotland ahead of the UK on this important ethical issue and, we hope, demonstrating to other European countries that this can… Read more
Scottish Government announcements fail to protect dogs
Leading animal welfare charity OneKind claims the Scottish Government has failed to protect dog welfare following today’s announcement on new measures to protect animal welfare. Whilst OneKind has welcomed the commitment to review offences and penalties for animal cruelty under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, the specific measures announced today affecting dogs… Read more
More for Scotland’s Animals at Holyrood
Last week the More for Scotland’s Animals coalition put on an event in the Scottish Parliament sponsored by Christine Grahame MSP to look at how we can make progress on animal welfare in Scotland over the next five years. This follows our campaign earlier this year in which we challenged all candidates to commit to… Read more
Freeing a fox suffering in a snare was compassion – not a crime
We encourage anyone who finds a snare to report it to our website www.SnareWatch.org. SnareWatch aims to build the evidence base behind snaring and the impact it has on animals across the UK, and to date we have had hundreds of reports of incidents. About six months ago a relatively unusual report was submitted. A… Read more
Charities celebrate Scottish Government’s commitment to ban wild animals in circuses from Scotland
OneKind and the Born Free Foundation have welcomed a commitment made today (Tuesday) by the Scottish Government to ban wild animals in circuses. In the full programme for government 2016/17, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP has pledged to introduce a Bill this session to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland…. Read more
OneKind celebrates Scotland’s commitment to ban wild animals in circuses
In its new proposed programme for Government 2016/17, the Scottish Parliament has pledged to introduce a Bill this session to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland. This follows decades of campaigning and lobbying for a ban by OneKind and the Born Free Foundation. Libby Anderson, our policy adviser who has… Read more
USA says no to Scottish salmon linked to seal killing
Seal killing has long been a serious animal welfare issue in Scotland, but it’s now threatening to become an economic and reputational issue too. The USA has introduced a ruling to ban imports with lower marine mammal protection standards than their own. It says that to export to the US, nations must implement a regulatory… Read more
Concern for seal welfare in Scotland as new figures reveal suffering
New information on seal killings in Scotland has revealed hundreds of seals could be suffering painful deaths at the hands of the salmon fishing industry. Despite stipulations that carcasses should be recovered where possible for examination, the majority of carcasses are lost and over 97% of seals killed were not subjected to a post-mortem. Between… Read more
OneKind calls for end to driven grouse shooting on eve of Glorious Twelfth
A leading animal protection charity is calling for an end to driven grouse shooting in Scotland on the eve of the biggest day in the shooting calendar. 12 August, or the Glorious Twelfth as it is known, marks the start of the grouse shooting season in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. OneKind… Read more
The landscape-scale cruelty behind the ‘glorious’ 12th
From the Lammermuirs in the Borders to the Highlands, to the moors of Caithness and Sutherland; much of Scotland is managed to varying degrees for driven grouse shooting, the demands of which are the root cause of much cruelty to Scotland’s wildlife. Driven grouse shooting involves beaters driving red grouse towards a line of waiting… Read more
Charity calls for greater protection of Scotland’s iconic mountain hare on first day of open season
(Image Credit: Andrew Parkinson) A leading animal protection charity is calling for greater protection of the mountain hare, an iconic species native to Scotland. 1st August marks the first day of the open season when hare are routinely shot by shooting parties out for the thrill or by gamekeepers managing land for red grouse shooting…. Read more
OneKind renews call for shock collar ban following Fort Augustus child abuse case
Free availability of shock collars facilitates cruelty, according to charity Animal welfare charity OneKind has renewed its calls for a ban on shock collars in light of a child abuse case involving one of the cruel devices. A woman in Fort Augustus who gave a young boy electric shocks using a dog training collar after… Read more
Charity critical of Edinburgh Zoo’s latest attempt to produce panda cub
Animal protection charity OneKind has criticised the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s latest attempt to produce a panda cub for Edinburgh Zoo through artificial insemination. OneKind Policy Advisor Libby Anderson said: “It is desperately sad that the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has chosen to subject Tian Tian to further invasive procedures for a fourth… Read more
Scottish election candidates to be quizzed on animal welfare at hustings
Scottish election candidates are to be quizzed on their views on animal welfare at a hustings in Edinburgh tomorrow (Thursday). Online pet trading, keeping wild animals as pets and snaring are expected to be discussed at the event after a recent poll found these were issues which aroused strong feelings among Scots. According to the… Read more
Scots call for better animal protection from new Government
Scottish voters are calling on the incoming parliament to do more to protect animals from cruelty and suffering, according to a new poll. Online pet trading, keeping wild animals as pets, controversial shock collars and snares all aroused strong feelings from Scots. The national opinion poll, carried out by YouGov on behalf of a coalition… Read more
OneKind responds to Scottish Government announcement on the future of Scotland’s beavers
Scottish Government urged to ‘stop procrastinating’ and protect beavers The Scottish Government has today announced that a decision on the future of Scotland’s beavers, which was due last year, will be further delayed until later this year. This follows revelations earlier this year that beavers were being culled indiscriminately as they have no legal protection…. Read more
