Calls for stronger fox hunting laws
We start off this month with a massive thank you to all our supporters – you helped us get over 100,000 signatures for a petition calling on the government to strengthen fox hunting laws.
On February 18, the 20thanniversary of the fox hunting ban coming into force, we handed this petition into 10 Downing Street, along with our partners in the Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting.
The Hunting Act 2004 which banned hunting with dogs was a milestone piece of animal welfare legislation but it was flawed, containing many exemptions which fox hunts exploit.
The hunts have also invented so-called trail hunting which they use as a smokescreen to conceal their brutal chasing and killing of animals from the police, courts and the public.
This is why we are calling for a ban on trail hunting and for the exemptions in the Hunting Act to be removed.
We also believe there needs to be a proper deterrent to prevent fox hunting from taking place which is why we are calling for jail sentences to be introduced for those that break the law.
Our campaigning backed by your support is making it clear to government that the time for change is now and that we need to put an end to the cruelty of fox hunting once and for all.
The League’s public affairs team has taken this message to the very heart of government by running a briefing event in parliament this February which attracted MPs from across the political spectrum.
Moves to ban greyhound racing in Wales
Elsewhere we helped achieve a historic victory for animals in Wales when the Welsh Government announced in February that it will ban the cruel sport of greyhound racing.
Many of you responded to our calls to take part in the Welsh Government’s consultation on the issue and to highlight the appalling death toll and thousands of injuries greyhounds were suffering from across the UK as a result of this dangerous sport.
The League will now be working with the Welsh Government and other charities to make sure this pledge to end greyhound racing is fulfilled quickly and effectively.
New animation lifting the lid on the cruelty of game bird breeding
We are also taking steps to highlight the industrial scale cruelty of the game bird shooting industry in which tens of thousands of pheasants and partridges are confined to cramped, barren cages for breeding purposes.
You can watch a new animation created by the League which exposes the appalling lives these animals face to supply the millions of non-native game birds that are then released into the British countryside simply to be shot.
Tackling animal cruelty with the League’s Animal Crimewatch service
Meanwhile the League’s Animal Crimewatch service, run by a dedicated team of intelligence officers, which includes former police officers and civilian analysts, is providing a crucial service in tackling animal cruelty
If you have ever been unlucky enough to witness brutal blood sports such as fox hunting in action and didn’t know where to turn, then this service is here for you, providing a fast, easy way to report cruelty.
Every report helps us expose illegal activities and push for stronger protections for our wildlife.
You can report wildlife crime to the League’s Animal Crimewatch service on 0300 444 1234, email crimewatch@league.org.uk or WhatsApp at 0755 278 8247
You can use their new WhatsApp number on 07552 788247 to report incidents of animal cruelty.
