Catapults could be banned in the Uk after a number of attacks. Animal lovers are rallying to get the toy weapons outlawed. and so far, over 7,600 people have backed a petition.
It follows a spate of attacks on pets and wildlife. The petition calls on the government to “make it illegal to carry catapults in public places.”If the law is put in place by PM Sir Keir Starmer’s government, police will be able to arrest anyone carrying them.
The aim is also to ban the sale of the item and ammunition for it in the UK. A large portion of the signatures were signed by Brits in the south of England, most notably Surrey Heath, which had 329 signatures.
The campaign is a response to the increased reports of animals being attacked by youngsters carrying catapults. If the poll reaches 10,000 votes, the Government will have to respond.
And at 100,000 it would trigger a debate in Parliament. Catapults, also known as slingshots, can currently be snapped up on Amazon for as little as £10.The petition was launched by Daniel Rogers with a deadline of May 2025.
Mr Rogers said: “Make it illegal to carry catapults in public places, so the police can arrest those carrying, especially in areas of known wildlife crime, regardless if ammunition is found or not.Also ban companies selling catapults and ammunition in the UK, so they are not so easily accessible.
“I am a wildlife rescuer and believe we are currently in a wildlife crime pandemic. There has been an increase in reports of wildlife being attacked by groups of youths carrying catapults and ball bearings.
“Seventy-five per cent of my callouts are due to apparent abuse of wildlife offences. We think the law needs to change to give the Police more powers to arrest those carrying catapults.”