Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Dame ): My Noble Friend, the
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs ( of Ullock), has made the
following Written Statement today.
Today we are launching a consultation to seek views on how best
to deliver an effective and enforceable ban on trail hunting in
England and Wales. The responses will be used to inform my
department's assessment of any potential social, community,
economic, business or environmental impacts of a trail hunting
ban and the development of subsequent legislation to be
introduced when parliamentary time allows.
The consultation invites views on a wide range of matters
including:
- How trail hunting should be defined for the purposes of a ban
- How to ensure that the ban on trail hunting will not
inadvertently affect other activities which we intend should
remain lawful such as drag hunting or ‘clean boot' hunting
- Whether it should remain lawful to use animal-based scent
trails when training dogs for specific purposes
- Considerations relevant to the timing of introducing the ban
- The potential community, social, business, economic and
environmental impacts of the proposed approach to banning trail
hunting.
The consultation will be open for 12 weeks and close on 18 June.
We welcome views from all those with an interest and all
responses to the consultation will be considered carefully in
developing our proposals.
A summary of responses to the consultation will be published in
due course.
Background Information on Trail Hunting
The Hunting Act 2004 made it an offence to hunt wild mammals with
dogs in England and Wales, subject to some exemptions. Following
the introduction of that Act, trail hunting grew in popularity as
an alternative to hunting wild mammals with dogs.
Trail hunting aims to mimic a traditional hunt by laying an
animal scent trail which simulates the natural movement of wild
mammals through hedgerows, woods, and ditches for hounds and
hunts to follow.
Trail hunting has become a focus of concern because, by its very
nature, it is difficult to ensure that wild mammals such as foxes
are not placed in danger.
- Trail hunting involves the laying of a trail using an
animal-based scent for the dogs to follow.
- The trail is not always laid constantly but may be lifted for
a distance and dropped again to allow the hounds to search for
the scent
- Huntsmen and followers often do not know where trails have
been laid.
These factors can result in the scent of a live wild animal being
picked up. Once picked up, the hounds may follow the scent of the
wild mammal rather than follow the intended trail, resulting in
pursuit which could cause distress and lead to the death of, or
injury to, the wild mammal.
A ban on trail hunting would ensure that wild mammals are not
pursued and placed in danger as a result of trail hunting,
prevent trail hunting being used to avoid criminal liability for
hunting with dogs and support effective enforcement of the law
against hunting with dogs.
Statement from
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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