Campaigners in Liverpool call for tougher laws to end the brutal blood sport of fox and cub hunting

Campaigners from national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports were in Liverpool today [Tuesday] 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 backed 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. The League is now calling for the new government to publish a timeline for the implementation of new stronger fox hunting laws.

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 the Royal Albert Dock near the Labour Party conference for the ‘Time for Change Liverpool: end cub hunting’ event – speaking with the public and delegates and asking them to email their MPs.

The campaign is backed by the Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting representing more than 30 organisations, one of the largest single-issue coalition of charities ever assembled in the UK.

The League published figures earlier this summer 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
Photo: The League fox Fox at Pierhead, in front of the Three Graces, including The Royal Liver Building (landscape)

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).