Government to Introduce Ban on Trail Hunting in England and Wales: New Animal Welfare Strategy
A new animal welfare strategy is set to be introduced by the government in England and Wales, which will include a ban on trail hunting. Trail hunting involves laying a scent trail for dogs to follow, without the actual hunting of animals. Despite being legal since the 2004 hunting ban, the government views it as a cover for hunting wild animals. The 2004 Hunting Act restricted the use of dogs to hunt wild mammals in England and Wales, including foxes, hares, deer, and mink.
Trail hunting uses a scented trail for hounds to chase, aiming to simulate a hunt without harming animals. However, reports from anti-hunting groups show incidents of foxes being chased during the last hunting season. The Countryside Alliance's chief executive, Tim Bonner, believes revisiting the issue of trail hunting is unnecessary and a waste of parliamentary time. The British Hound Sports Association highlights the importance of trail hunts in rural communities for economic and well-being benefits.
The government plans to consult on the ban on trail hunting in the new year, following their manifesto commitment to implement the ban. Baroness Hayman, the minister for animal welfare, emphasized the need to address concerns that trail hunting is used as a cover for hunting wild animals. While trail hunting is already banned in Scotland, hunting with dogs remains legal in Northern Ireland. The government aims to gather public views through a consultation process to move forward with the ban on trail hunting.