I understand from the newspaper that it is now a criminal offence in the United Kingdom to knowingly cause distress to a bug. This has seemingly upset some farmers who use pesticide.
London: Slugs and snails will be offered the same protection against mistreatment as cats and dogs under a proposed new law that has been condemned by gardeners as absurd.
Legislation to be announced by the Government this week will give courts the power to impose fines of up to £20,000 ($51,000) and 12 months in jail on people found guilty.
Anyone under the age of 16 will be banned from owning a pet, and goldfish will no longer be allowed to be given as prizes at fairgrounds.
The legislation could mean gardeners are fined for killing insects, worms, caterpillars, slugs and snails, if scientific evidence proves they have suffered pain and distress. Horticulturalists said the plan was excessive; they rejected the idea that they could be guilty of cruelty.
John Cushnie, a regular panellist on BBC Radio's Gardeners' Question Time, said some aspects of the legislation were nonsensical. "To give worms and slugs protection under the law is ludicrous. If I have an infestation of slugs or snails or cabbage white butterflies, then I will get rid of them in whatever way I choose.
"If I want to boil them alive, stamp on them or treat them to a slow drawn-out death by poison, then I will."
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http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/11/1089484242577.html?oneclick=true
London: Slugs and snails will be offered the same protection against mistreatment as cats and dogs under a proposed new law that has been condemned by gardeners as absurd.
Legislation to be announced by the Government this week will give courts the power to impose fines of up to £20,000 ($51,000) and 12 months in jail on people found guilty.
Anyone under the age of 16 will be banned from owning a pet, and goldfish will no longer be allowed to be given as prizes at fairgrounds.
The legislation could mean gardeners are fined for killing insects, worms, caterpillars, slugs and snails, if scientific evidence proves they have suffered pain and distress. Horticulturalists said the plan was excessive; they rejected the idea that they could be guilty of cruelty.
John Cushnie, a regular panellist on BBC Radio's Gardeners' Question Time, said some aspects of the legislation were nonsensical. "To give worms and slugs protection under the law is ludicrous. If I have an infestation of slugs or snails or cabbage white butterflies, then I will get rid of them in whatever way I choose.
"If I want to boil them alive, stamp on them or treat them to a slow drawn-out death by poison, then I will."