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Environment Minister Mark H Durkan is coming under pressure to toughen up a planned law on using snares to trap animals.

Animal welfare campaigners and the Green Party say the SDLP man’s proposed Snares Order will do nothing to stop what they say are cruel, lingering deaths suffered by animals caught in the traps.

The Order, set to be approved by the Assembly, will regulate the use of snares, but campaigners say they and the wider public are in favour of an outright ban. The detail of how the Order will regulate trapping with snares is as yet unclear.

Janice Watt, Senior Public Affairs Officer for the League Against Cruel Sports in Northern Ireland, said the Order will be in contrast to Belfast Council's unanimous vote calling on the Assembly to introduce a ban on snares. She added that a recent Ipsos MORI poll found that three out of four people in Northern Ireland are in favour of a ban .

The campaigner added: “If you put a wire noose out in a field, it doesn’t matter what regulations are written on a piece of paper, an animal will suffer. MLAs are being duped into thinking that by supporting more regulation on snaring, they are actually voting for animal welfare. The opposite is true. Only a complete ban on snares can prevent mass suffering.”

She said one of the many issues with snares is that they are indiscriminate and often inflict serious inujuries on pets or what she calls a “gruesome death”.

Ms Watt added: “The UK is one of only five European countries where the use of these snares is legal. Northern Ireland has the opportunity to be the UK leader on wild animal welfare by banning these incredibly cruel and completely indiscriminate traps. Please do not let the shooting industry’s profits override animal welfare and democracy.”

Green Party leader Stephen Agnew, said he is “deeply concerned” by the Snares Order which which he argues “effectively endorses the use of these cruel instruments so long as dubious, unenforceable conditions are met - none of which are likely to significantly alleviate animal suffering or reduce the number of non-target animals caught”.

He added: “Though used as a primitive form of ‘pest-control’, the widespread suffering and painful, lingering deaths that snares cause has been proven by universities and veterinary experts to be a completely ineffectual means of reducing fox numbers.

“This has been recognised across Europe, and the UK is one of just five member countries where this barbaric practice is still legal.

“The only way to stop this unnecessary suffering is to end the use of snares altogether. I urge the environment minister to listen to overwhelming public opposition and introduce a full ban on snaring.”

The minister came under some pressure on social media with animal rights people tweeting him to ban snares. He replied acknowledging the weight of concern, adding “Message received loud and clear!”

MORE : TV animal rights campaigner Bill Oddie calls on Stormont to ban hunting with dogs