Grey squirrels....

RE: Grey squirrels....

Teri-Ann Baldwin — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 17:58:51 GMT

That made me chuckle david!

RE: Grey squirrels....

Teri-Ann Baldwin — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 17:58:32 GMT

This made me chuckle!

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 12:46:52 GMT

sure I posted about this earlier.

bet the pub did not have a release licence

RE: Grey squirrels....

Michelle Ingram J.A.K Marketing Limited — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:22:22 GMT

I saw this in the news, it would appear even squirrels like to enjoy the odd drink!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-33541502

RE: Grey squirrels....

Nessie_W — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 14:48:46 GMT

https://www.gov.uk/wildlife-licences#types-of-licence

To apply for licenses if needed.

RE: Grey squirrels....

bonjovitrace — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:19:01 GMT

The Wildlife Foundation in Surrey have a license to release squirrels. I don't know where you are based. They have a Facebook page called 'Wildlife advice for vets/rvns' where they are happy to answer questions and give advice.

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 12:27:06 GMT

and my final input all the evidence on the internet state that's its illegal. therefore if there was documented evidence that stats it allows release release of the grey squirrel I would be interested to see this however again as the link below shows under

Legislation: Sciurus carolinensis, Grey Squirrel

Trade in Europe is restricted through inclusion of the grey squirrel in Council Regulation 338/97/EC. Grey squirrel is listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is thus an offence to release or to allow the escape of this species into the wild.

http://www.nonnativespecies.org/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?speciesId=3175

and this is a government website along with I am not the only one whom has said its an illegal .

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 12:15:42 GMT

Yet again and ill repeat...

"there has to be a clause in the Act. such a loophole to counteract the law. also this post had died down as people lost interest in petty arguments.

RE: Grey squirrels....

Diane Westwood — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:27:21 GMT

[quote user="PSA-David"]

FYI

It is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) to introduce and release grey squirrels into the wild

Unless you have a licence. Then it is not an offence.

[/quote]

RE: Grey squirrels....

Elerrina — Thu, 21 May 2015 11:18:11 GMT

[quote user="PSA-David"]

but the centre would be breaking the law as started above!! it appears that there is a clause that's some people are not aware of. however I would be doubtful of this and they are trying to bend the statement a little!

[/quote]

PSA-David I'm not quite sure if you're being deliberately obtuse or generally not understanding. So I'll try to explain more simply.

It is illegal for a member of the public to release non native species e.g. grey squirrels

BUT

Larger wildlife rescue centres will have a license obtained from the government allowing them to release non native species such as grey squirrels. So are not breaking the law

RE: Grey squirrels....

kerryfeehan — Sun, 17 May 2015 20:35:41 GMT

I totally agree with Sal, the law is the law and we should abide by it

RE: Grey squirrels....

Katherine Spear — Sat, 16 May 2015 22:20:59 GMT

I think the law is very outdated and ought to be up for change. I live in Cornwall where there had been no red squirrels for a very long time so the law is now outdated but crazily they are trying to reintroduce the red squirrels which seems very ethically questionable due to liklihood of failure and poor welfare for both the introduced reds and the current greys.

RE: Grey squirrels....

Selena Carnell — Sat, 16 May 2015 18:42:47 GMT

there are rescues that will accidentally leave the pen door open... oops they escaped

RE: Grey squirrels....

Sal the 1st — Sat, 16 May 2015 17:50:42 GMT

an individual without licence is breaking the law - by passing it onto a wildlife centre it then becomes their problem. Just wondered how many wildlife places there are out there without licences and no prospect of getting one? - and then what happens?

I do think if we have a responsibility to the animal whatever it is to make sure that a willdlife centre does have the correct licencing and that they will be acting in the animals/birds best interests. I used to do raptor rescue locally (had all the correct paperwork had been inspected etc) but I knew of plenty that didnt. I was short stay for injuries or at most 2-3 day release only or until something more appropriate could be found - but there were others locally with flights less than half the size of mine who were taking on birds longterm - I hope this has now stopped? I have even known the RSPCA pass on animals to places in the past that were just not suitable for long term care.

RE: Grey squirrels....

FINNIGAN — Sat, 16 May 2015 09:53:39 GMT

So what's the difference in you releasing it and a sanctuary releasing it? Apart from a licence??

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:39:06 GMT

RE: Grey squirrels....

Anne Watkins — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:19:09 GMT

That's what I'm saying, you don't have to break the law if you take a grey squirrel to a wildlife hosp. And they wouldn't be kept in captivity for the rest of their life, they release them when ready!

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:16:13 GMT

FYI

It is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) to introduce and release grey squirrels into the wild

RE: Grey squirrels....

PSA-David — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:13:43 GMT

with the licence I was wondering, if they are actually allowed to release the grey back into the wild how is this documented. as you state will have papers to allow the re-release of animals to the wild after rehabillation. however as its illegal to allow the re-release of grey squirrels to the wild as stated above. There has to be a clause in the documentation to allow such activity, as I doubt they have a separate paper for every specie that can be re-released back.

RE: Grey squirrels....

Steph Worsley — Thu, 14 May 2015 21:59:01 GMT

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]

Hi I hand reared a baby squirrel from 2 day old, at 12weeks it was ready for releasing, it is illegal to release back into the wild but that's at your discretion, but mine went to a wildlife hospital thAt had a licence to let them release, some wildlife hospitals hold this licence so check them out,

[/quote]

Hmmm it seems a bit odd you saying that it is illegal but at your discretion....it's like saying stealing a car is illegal but it's ok at your own discretion! so it's ok as long as you don't get caught????
I live in an area near a red squirrel sanctuary and I would be gutted if someone released more grey squirrels into the area and wiped out at least a decades work building that population.

I wouldn't wish any harm to any animal BUT they are not native to the UK (yes I know it was us that brought them here in the first place blah blah blah) and also carry squirrel pox (SPV) but aren't affected by it like the reds so strongly believe that they really should not be released back into the wild.

a vet I know recently did his PhD on squirrel pox in red squirrels and he discovered that luckily a small percentage of the squirrels in Formby have antibodies to SPV but the research needs to continue and see if we are getting more that have antibodies. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25034405

RE: Grey squirrels....

Sal the 1st — Thu, 14 May 2015 19:28:32 GMT

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140605090108/http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/releaseofSch9species_tcm6-4228.pdf

just found this - which gives the areas that will not get a licence to release, very surprised it isnt larger as there are red squirrels in Lincolnshire and we dont even get a mention

RE: Grey squirrels....

FINNIGAN — Thu, 14 May 2015 18:55:56 GMT

RE: Grey squirrels....

Elerrina — Thu, 14 May 2015 15:59:56 GMT

[quote user="PSA-David"]

looking through this there are a few things that spring to mind. firstly when it was stated there are not any red squirrels around this area, the reason for this may be of this exact reason of the grey squirrel.!

there is then the law of which its the law, I do then get confused that some centres have licenses to release them back. the reason for this I would assume that the re-release licenses would be a general blanket of allowing such activities but I am sure there would be a clause, being along the lines of certain species not being allowed re-release.

[/quote]

I'm not quite sure what you mean, the centres get the licences from natural england and can release so many each year.
With regards the the grey squirrel vs red sequirrel thing, humans contributed to the demise of the red squirrel a lot more than the grey. We hunted them in their hundreds of thousands, destroyed their habitat and built everywhere.

RE: Grey squirrels....

sananbaz — Thu, 14 May 2015 14:04:31 GMT

Hi, I found this link on the Internet

www.squirrelrescue.org

sam@squirrelrescue.org

07712893567

They have all the info about releasing grey squirrels, and have a licence from Natural England.

HTH

RE: Grey squirrels....

Sal the 1st — Thu, 14 May 2015 11:47:00 GMT

perhaps it would be useful to have a list of the wildlife centres on here that do have a license to release greys? and next time this crops up they will be easily available