wild rabbits for sale! ?

flanum

i thought it was illegal, and im sure a lot of farmers wouldnt be pleased, me personally id love to repopulate bunnies round my area, http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/othersports/3524474

is it legal?

sikastag

No AFAIK

homerhop

It is not illegal as long as the traps used to catch the rabbits conform to regulations. After that it boils down to if you agree with it or not.

Cass

It is illegal, and there are more issues to it than whether the farmer likes it or not. There are legal requirements regarding trapping, transport, introducing species to an area, licenses, notifying the relevant bodies, etc.


Thread is closed as discussion of illegal content/activity is prohibited. A mod review will determine if the thread is to be re-opened.

Cass

I want to thank all the members for contacting me especially homerhop for their help in clarifying this issue once and for all. For some time now we have tried, unsuccessfully, to get a definitive answer to this question, and others, but it was supplied to the mods tonight and clears things up nicely.

Extract from NPWS e-mail. wrote:

No licences are required from the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department to relocate species that are not protected under the Wildlife Acts such as rabbits and foxes. However, the traps to be used must conform with the approved traps as set out in The Wildlife Act 1976 (Approved Traps, Snares and nets) Regulations 2003 (SI No 620/2003)

This applies to transporting/moving them only, and not to selling them. That is still not allowed.


So with that cleared up i'd like to retract my previous, overly cautious, post above, and edit it to this. It is allowed, within the confines of the law mentioned above, and for the purposes of relocating only.


Thread is reopened, knock yerselves out.

meathstevie

I wouldn't want to be around when the farmer finds out someone has just released a clutter of rabbits on some prime grazing lands....

dodderangler

He's been selling them for ages
Gave him a call few months back just to see and he wanted 8 quid a rabbit but would do a deal on certain amount
Just said I'd let him know
Bit steep for wild rabbits
Wonder where he is getting them
Is he poaching land to get them?

Cass

Well i was mistaken in my "legal stance", but i still maintain it shouldn't be done. As you said if i done it on lands i have permission for, that permission would soon dry up.

homerhop

me either, how i came about that info was due to foxes being released around us and I wanted to know was it legal to do it and at the time this subject of rabbits was also being discussed here too.
Bear in mind that permission from the land owners must be sought also.

TriggerPL

As this person is selling rabbits then , is it not illegal .

Double Barrel

There is much to this subject that I did not know.

Invincible

dodderangler wrote: »

He's been selling them for ages
Gave him a call few months back just to see and he wanted 8 quid a rabbit but would do a deal on certain amount
Just said I'd let him know
Bit steep for wild rabbits
Wonder where he is getting them
Is he poaching land to get them?

He got some from a Dublin woman initially and reintroduced them in his area, as they become numerous he uses ferrets and nets them to sell on. I heard some use them to school greyhounds, I doubt it though.

aaakev

Invincible wrote: »

He got some from a Dublin woman initially and reintroduced them in his area, as they become numerous he uses ferrets and nets them to sell on. I heard some use them to school greyhounds, I doubt it though.

Why wpuld you doubt that??

Half-cocked

Rabbits are quite fussy about the types of soil they burrow in. If you haven't got suitable habitat, you'd be wasting your time releasing them. Dry sandy soil is best.

Vegeta

TriggerPL wrote: »

As this person is selling rabbits then , is it not illegal .

It's tough to know being honest. Section 45 of the Wildlife Act deals with selling/trading in wildlife but specifically mentions protected wild birds and protected wild animals.

Rabbits are not classed as a protected wild animal. So my opinion would be that rabbits can be sold without license.

Cass

Vegeta wrote: »

Rabbits are not classed as a protected wild animal. So my opinion would be that rabbits can be sold without license.

While not protected as wildlife or "game", and most likely as being meat would it not require the same courses, licenses, etc that selling any meat would require?

nowwerehurlin

Id be of the belief that this add would be aimed at greyhound owners more so than your average joe soap looking to restock them for shooting.. legal or not i don't know. But i have heard of fellas paying money for rabbits to ''blood in'' greyhound pups to give them that bit of drive out of the traps ..

meathstevie

nowwerehurlin wrote: »

Id be of the belief that this add would be aimed at greyhound owners more so than your average joe soap looking to restock them for shooting.. legal or not i don't know. But i have heard of fellas paying money for rabbits to ''blood in'' greyhound pups to give them that bit of drive out of the traps ..

Possible but maybe just a bit speculative, it's a claim I wouldn't make unless I could back it up with hard facts.

wexfordman

Cass wrote: »

While not protected as wildlife or "game", and most likely as being meat would it not require the same courses, licenses, etc that selling any meat would require?

If they are being sold live, they are not not meat.... Yet!! The buyer would be killing and gutting them for self consumption, so that's probably how he's getting around it!

nowwerehurlin

meathstevie wrote: »

Possible but maybe just a bit speculative, it's a claim I wouldn't make unless I could back it up with hard facts.

Before this thread gets derailed by a debate of what should or shouldn't have been said,Id just like to clear up the previous comment. What i meant was that it would ''appeal'' to those with interests in training greyhounds.I acknowledge that it read differently to what I wanted but in no way was i making a claim that this individual who is selling these rabbits,is selling them solely for the blooding in of greyhounds. Having a keen interest in racing as well as neighbors involved in training,i have heard on occasion that this practice takes place. I would not condone it or have any interest in it nor have i made a claim that the individual selling them does. So apologies Meathstevie if you've taken offense to my poorly worded comment.

Cass

Dead = Meat
Live = Wild animal. (protected or not)


Either way i believe he cannot do it. Just my opinion. Not saying he is wrong for doing it. If he earns a few quid not my place to say anything. I'm only talking form a "is it legal" point of view. No good earning a few quid on some rabbits to end up costing you thousands in fines.

Mauser 308

Guys is it not the same principle as the numerous adds we see for Pheasants for sale?? I imagine the principles are similar. Although I imagine the farmer whos land they are released on might no be so happy.

Imagine asking your local permission if its ok to set up a rabbit release pen in the corner of the field...

flanum

^^
so no, no its absolutely not the same as the ads for pheasants for sale.. you answered your own question.