Animal welfare campaigners in Leeds say it’s time for change and call for stronger fox hunting laws

Campaigners from national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports were in Leeds today [Wednesday] calling on the public to back plans to strengthen fox hunting laws and to end this brutal blood sport which is still going on despite the ban.

The call to action took place in the heart of the cub hunting season, a barbaric practice in which hunt hounds are taught to kill young foxes in preparation for the fox hunting season beginning in November.

The Labour Party outlined its plans to ban so called trail hunting – the discredited excuse commonly used by hunts as a smokescreen to hide old fashioned illegal fox hunting – in its general election manifesto.

John Petrie, senior campaigns manager for the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “It’s time for change and for the brutal blood sport of fox hunting with hounds to be properly outlawed.

“We are calling on the government to act with urgency and publish a timeline outlining when so-called trail hunting is going to be banned, other loopholes in the law closed and prison sentences for those caught breaking fox hunting laws introduced.”

The campaigners, including the friendly League fox who entertained families today, met on Briggate for the Time for Change Leeds: end cub hunting event, and spoke to the public asking them to email their MPs to urge them to support a ban.

The campaign is backed by the Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting, representing more than 30 organisations, including some of the UK’s largest and most influential animal welfare charities.

The League published figures this summer from the last fox hunting season between November 2023 and March 2024 showing nearly 1,400 incidents comprising 526 reports of illegal fox hunting and 870 reports of fox hunts wreaking havoc on rural communities.

John added: “We’re currently getting reports of savage cub hunting across the country and by November the fox hunting season with all its brutality, is scheduled to start up again.

“We need to ensure that that the police have stronger laws that will allow them to effectively tackle those caught chasing and killing foxes and the courts have the powers to properly punish offenders.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Trail hunting has been described by Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman, the most senior police officer in England with responsibility for fox hunting crime, as a “smokescreen for illegal fox hunting”. He also described illegal hunting as “prolific”. 

Fox hunting was banned when the Hunting Act came into force in February 2005.

For more information or interview requests please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 07496 496454 (24hrs) or email pressoffice@league.org.uk

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act 2004 and the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021. We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage wildlife reserves. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).