Friday 20 December 2013

TAIL DOCKING PETITION

As we head into the Christmas holidays, we are pleased to announce that 1757 people have answered the SGA's tail docking petition. We still have a further month to go until the petition closes, so please keep up the signing and sharing. Click here, then on the blue letters to sign.

Friday 13 December 2013

TAIL DOCKING- LATEST COUNT

Towards the close of week three, 1280 people have completed the SGA’s Tail Docking Petition. Thanks to all those who have done so, so far. Let’s keep sharing and signing. Working dogs need your help. Click on the blue letters and complete the form or share this link amongst your friends.

Friday 6 December 2013

WINNER OF THE 2013 SGA HONDA ATV RAFFLE ANNOUNCED

The 2013 SGA Honda ATV is bound for the Outer Hebrides. The draw for the quad was made this afternoon in the SGA office in Perth by staff George Macdonald and Sheila Beattie. And the lucky recipient of this year’s prize, kindly donated by Honda UK and J.M.T Manufacturing Ltd in Forth, Lanarkshire, was SGA Syndicate member from Tarbert, Isle of Harris, Steve McCombe. Steve was notified of his win by telephone moments afterwards and informed us a celebratory drink would be in the offing this evening. The SGA would like to thank all members, supporters and members of the public who kindly purchased raffle tickets through our magazine, from the office and at Game Fairs in 2013. The income helps us to fulfill our aims of representing gamekeepers, ghillies, stalkers, wildlife managers and rangers. We would also like to thank Honda UK and JMT for their continued support. You will be able to read all about Steve’s win in the forthcoming edition of Scottish Gamekeeper, our quarterly member magazine...

TAIL DOCKING PETITION LATEST

Close to the end of week two, 753 people have signed our petition to the SNP government to reverse the ban on the docking of working dogs’ tails. We haven’t extrapolated all the data on this, this is just a weekly outline update on the number of people who have hit the YES button. The petition is due to close on January 31st so we still have plenty more time to share, sign and encourage others as we aim to see the overturning of this law which has led to suffering for working dogs, torment and cost for their owners and the loss of important Scottish breeding lines which has damaged the future of the industry. Please keep encouraging people to sign. The SGA would like to thank all those who have helped so far. Members, members’ friends, industry partners, gundog owners and clubs across Scotland, the NGO and other supporters, as well as members of the public. We’d like to thank proactive people who have taken it upon themselves to phone and write to Ministers and welfare groups to get answers for themselves. So, keep up the good work, keep signing and sharing. You can also take the petition directly from our Facebook page. Just press the petition icon on the right of the header.

Monday 2 December 2013

STATEMENT: RSPB BIRD OF PREY REPORT

Following the release of an unofficial report by the RSPB today on the Illegal Killing of Birds of Prey in 2012, the SGA issued the following response. An SGA Spokesman said: “The RSPB has clearly spent a lot of money in writing this report, which entitles them to put forward their own viewpoint.“With this agenda in mind, it is important, that the public refer to the actual crimes, as published annually by the Scottish Government with information provided officially by the Police and SASA, rather than speculative possible or suspected cases, which are clearly going to confuse the public.“All PAW partners, including ourselves, are fully behind the printing of the official statistics annually, based on actual legal cases, and see no reason why this should change.“While we have been encouraged by the progress made, with the official statistics stating a record of only 3 confirmed cases of illegal poisoning of birds of prey in 2012, reports such as this do little other than damage to on-going partnership efforts designed to reduce crimes against birds of prey.“As stated consistently, the SGA continues to advocate legal means to solving countryside conflicts. Because of this, the clarity and impartiality provided by law is important to us.”