'You can't sell that squirrel!'

[Mang]

I was watching Nick Clegg on news24 the other day and he was bashing a lot of silly laws that have come into force: It is illegal to set off a nuclear explosion was one I recall, but the one that caught my attention was that it is illegal to sell a Grey Squirrel.

There's a farm shop near me that sells rabbits popped on their land and I wondered about asking if they could get squirrel in. If they could get them I guess I'd have to see if they would give me one free if I buy a rabbit or something..is this because they are considered vermin? Do they have some potential virus? It seems silly if they are a pest

 

[Ph34r]

apparently, squirels have recently decreased in numbers severly. They have decided to ban the sales of squirrels to protect them to a certain extent, without a rapid increase in numbers (Like badgers have).

 

[Bushwhacker]

Maybe it's connected or not, but some woodlands use a slow acting poison to kill off greys.
In that case, you wouldn't know if the tree rat had taken some on board or not.

 

[C_Claycomb]

apparently, squirels have recently decreased in numbers severly. They have decided to ban the sales of squirrels to protect them to a certain extent, without a rapid increase in numbers (Like badgers have).

WHAT?!?
An imported species classed as vermin and a pest, responsible for £000s of damage to forestry and native woodland, not to mention forcing the native species to endangered levels is finally showing a fall in numbers thanks to all the culling efforts...and they want to protect it's falling numbers? Please tell me this is a joke

 

[zorro]

You used to get six pence a tail when I was a lad.

And that was six big old pennies, not this modern rubbish.

 

[Mesquite]

Is it a live squirrel or a dead one that can't be sold?

I know there's restrictions regarding live ones such as if you find an injured one and nurse it back to health you can't release it back into the wild as it's a pest.

 

[Mang]

Is it a live squirrel or a dead one that can't be sold?

To be honest I don't know-Mr Clegg didn't go into detail! I guess the statute book must be available online...?

 

[JonathanD]

It only refers to live animals, not dead ones.

 

[wingstoo]

This might help clear up a few questions

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/has labour really created 3000 new crimes/169245

Nick Clegg, speech to Liberal Democrat party conference, 18 September 2001.

Looks like it was 9 years ago since it was raised


I am pretty sure they mean the selling of "Live" Grey Squirrels, as it is an offence to release them back into the wild if caught alive.

We have bought dead squirrel at farm markets in the last few years, and restaurants have been selling Squirrel stew, so must have bought the carcass from somewhere.

 

[hoppinmad]

WHAT!! "It is illegal to set off a nuclear explosion":yikes: they will probable ban knives next

 

[Lurch]

Illegal to set off a nuclear explosion? I wish someone had told me before I built this bloody bomb. What am I supposed to do with it now?




.....that'll be me getting another visit from the authorities then!

 

[hoppinmad]

You could try and sell it to the red squirrels...it is illegal to sell gray squirrels

 

[SimonM]

Illegal to set off a nuclear explosion? I wish someone had told me before I built this bloody bomb. What am I supposed to do with it now?




.....that'll be me getting another visit from the authorities then!

I'd be wearing ear plugs after that comment Mark...apparently stun grenades are rather loud:yikes:

Stand by....

Simon

 

[Wallenstein]

I am pretty sure they mean the selling of "Live" Grey Squirrels, as it is an offence to release them back into the wild if caught alive.

(With apologies in advance for gratuitious use of google)

I'm sure the comment relates to Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981:

"... if any person releases or allows to escape into the wild any animal which (a) is of a kind which is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to Great Britain in a wild state; or (b) is included in Part I of Schedule 9, he shall be guilty of an offence."

The animals in Schedule 9 include:

Budgerigars
Ruddy Ducks
Alpine Newts
Crested Porcupines
Black Rats
and Grey Squirrels (among others)

Selling dead squirrels for food is fine.

Another Act of Parliament [Grey Squirrels (Prohibition of Importation and Keeping) Order 1937, issued under Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932] also prohibits keeping grey squirrels in captivity, which is presumably what they mean by it being illegal to sell them...

... ie. to sell a live squirrel you must by definition have had it in captivity first?

 

[leaf man]

I heard that all greys carry a virus, which they are immune to, but the poor reds are not. Is the virus killed when its cooked?

 

[nitrambur]

I heard that all greys carry a virus, which they are immune to, but the poor reds are not. Is the virus killed when its cooked?

Do you intend feeding the grey squirrel stew to a red squirrel?

 

[Matt.S]

Illegal to set off a nuclear explosion? I wish someone had told me before I built this bloody bomb. What am I supposed to do with it now?

I'm selling mine to a nice gentleman by the name of Ahmadinejad.

 

[Black Sheep]

Black Swan Pub in York had Squirrel pie on the menu - It say each pie has one and a half squirrels in it.

Richard