Britain’s RSPCA says it is OK to gun down little gray squirrels but anyone caught moving them to a safe home will be prosecuted, the Norwich Evening News reports.

Roy and Connie Hill went to some trouble to humanely trap and then release some 21 gray squirrels into a nearby wood after they got sick of them causing arboreal mayhem damaging bird nests and eating eggs.

After some busybody contacted the RSPCA  68 year old Mr. Hill was door-stepped by an inspector who told them shooting gray squirrels was OK (practically mandatory in fact), but catching and humanely transporting them to a new home nearby was illegal.

The dedicated wildlife lovers were warned that if they caught and transported squirrels again the RSPCA or other nameless agencies could prosecute them and they could be fined.

Seventy year old Mrs. Hill said she was horrified. Her husband had to sign a statement as though he was a criminal.

According to the RSPCA it is not above the law either. A sick or injured gray squirrel can be caught and treated, however once it is well it must be destroyed – humanely of course.