"Mike" wrote in message
om...
Janet Baraclough.. wrote in
message ...
The message
from Steve contains these words:

Follwing on from a discussion in another newsgroup, I wondered
if anyone
here could explain the increase in the snail population in
recent years?

I don't recall seeing a single snail when I was a kid in the 60s
and
70s, and even up until fairly recently (say the last 10 to 15
years) but
now they appear to be everywhere.

Warmer winters. In cold areas of the country, snails didn't
normally
survive winter temps because they froze solid in their shells.

Janet
Watch out if you are killing snails and slugs, it COULD be made
illegal, if scientists can prove that they feel pain. This is
according to an article in the Times, and deals with a new law to be
intrtoduced to deal with cruelty to animals. Maximum fine is AFAIK,
£25,000. The main part of the new law is to give the RSPCA the right
to enter, without a warrant, lorries, trucks, planes etc that are
transporting animals, but it does change a number of the current
laws,
but now MAY include snails and slugs.

Somehow I don't see the powers that be deciding to clog the courts
with a few million cases of folk caught poisoning or drowning their
snails and slugs. Are there the smallest animals which might be
protected under the new proposed laws, or may we go on killing
wireworms with impunity? And midges?

Franz

Mike