Vermin Control Scotland – unfairly deleted

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Stuart speaks out about YouTube shutting down his channel

YouTube has deleted a popular shooting channel. It took down Vermin & Pest Control Scotland, run by Stuart Blair, which put out films about shooting and pest control. He has had to start a new @VerminControlScotland channel, but loses the 6,500 subscribers he had built up over two years. 

Stuart is at a loss as to what YouTube found wrong with the ratshooting video that caused the ‘strike’, as it was similar to his other videos. He says: “It’s so very hard to deal with. The whole thing is extremely one-sided. It’s a matter of opinion of one of YouTube’s review team – a matter of feeling over facts and laws.”

He adds: “My channel contained footage of legal pest control activities I carried myself and with fellow pest controllers. 

“The channel was a educational resource on how to humanely dispatch rats using air rifles, night vison and thermal technologies, to help remove rat infestation and other legal pest species.

“I had sections throughout my videos explaining why these needed to be controlled due to risks of diseases passed on to humans and damage to infrastructure building. All the activities in theses videos are legal in the UK. 

“I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with this decision as I have done nothing illegal, while countless other channels and content that would also be considered graphic in nature are still online.”

Four messages and you're out: what YouTube sent Stuart

Stuart sent YouTube this letter:

I’m legally hunting in a safe environment with an airgun. I don’t show me cleaning the animals so there is no blood or gore. When needed, I also blur things out.

I give warning that theses videos are pest control related videos and not to watch if offended by this type of content.

Everything I do on my channel is legal and safe.

I would also like to add that my channel is educational. It’s showing how and why pest species in the UK being controlled humane and within the law of the UK.

I have always conducted myself in a professional and respectful manner to everyone I have been in contact with.

My channel is no different to countless other channels doing the very same thing.

I would also like to add that the while my channel was monetised my videos were manually approved by YouTube. This made me believe my content was acceptable.

Please reactive my channel so that I can continue my lawful activities.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work. He has started again on YouTube. Here’s a link to his new channel: YouTube.com/@VerminControlScotland – please subscribe.

Stuart’s former subscribers are finding his new channel and posting their anger at YouTube’s decision.

Some of the comments in support of Stuart's work:

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