Require by law all sports netting to be tied up when not in use

We want the government to make it a legal requirement that all sports netting on sports fields, in schools and domestic gardens is tied up to prevent ensnaring wildlife and pets. Make it a fineable offence for the net owners not to do so.

Every year hundreds of wild animals and pets are trapped in sports netting that has been left in place. Many animals die or suffer horrific constriction injuries. We think this suffering is preventable with a little thought by net owners. We feel they need to be forced to take action by law.

The Government is committed to reducing the suffering caused to wild animals and pets. Animals being caught in untied sports netting can be prevented by simply packing away or tying up all sports netting. Therefore, while there are no specific health and safety regulations related to tying up sports nets, good practice is to tie them up safely in between usage and the Government urges owners of sports netting to do this as a matter of routine.

More broadly, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, members of the public must ensure they do not cause any unnecessary suffering to wild or companion animals that are being restrained, permanently or temporarily, by their actions. This includes animals that have been caught in a net. Therefore, as there are existing protections, DEFRA has no plans to introduce new legislation to make the leaving of netting untied a fineable offence.

Wildlife management is a devolved matter, and the response provided therefore relates to England only.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs