One for Alan Coren

[faustus]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2198799,00.html

Comments

[tinman0.livejournal.com]

I thought they were vermin who were supposed to be killed if trapped?

Grey squirrels are listed on schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This makes it an offence to release, or allow escape, into the wild any grey squirrel. It is also an offence, by an Order under the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932, to keep or import grey squirrels except under licence. link 1 link 2

[drasecretcampus.livejournal.com]

You may have a point - but those are Scottish websites. Is the same true under English and Welsh law? Do they actually have red squirels left to be menaced in Scotland (I think they have somne round here)?

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

There are definitely red squirrels left in Scotland - more than in England, in fact.

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I just started another comment, then realised that I didn't really know what I was talking about anyway. This is a leaflet from DEFRA about controlling urban squirrels, but it's not too clear on what you are allowed to do with them without a licence. It seems that if you deliberately trap them you're not allowed to re-release them, but I'm not at all sure that that's the same case as letting one out of a bird feeder. They're certainly protected from 'ill-treatment', whatever that means exactly.

[tinman0.livejournal.com]

They're certainly protected from 'ill-treatment', whatever that means exactly.

I think it means you are allowed to them over the head with a shovel but you're not allowed to enjoy it
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I'll get my coat

[drasecretcampus.livejournal.com]

You may have just reserved your place in hell. You're not allowed to be cruel to the fluffy animals.

Even rats with tails.