Urgent Calls to Close Fox Hunting Loophole

The League Against Cruel Sports has today called on the Scottish Government to urgently act on new evidence that has triggered concern that the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 contains a loophole allowing mounted fox hunting to continue in Scotland.

The Bill, introduced last year to close loopholes in the previous 20-year-old fox hunting ban, imposed a two-dog pack limit for the management of wild mammals. A scheme was introduced allowing NatureScot to issue licences for using more than two dogs to control wild mammals like foxes when there is no other solution available. During the passage of the Bill, Ministers were clear that hunting with dogs has “no place in modern Scotland” and that the licensing scheme would be “rigorous” and that a license “should be the exception”.

Data published by the Scottish Government has shown that over the first hunting season covered by the prohibition, at least 41 licenses were issued to allow the use of packs of dogs, with 75% of those licences permitting the use of packs of 20 or more dogs. Only two licences have been monitored for compliance.

Communication with NatureScot by the League of Cruel Sports confirms that at least one mounted hunt, the Lauderdale, has been involved in licensed fox control, potentially allowing them to continue their hunting activities much as they were prior to the Act.

Robbie Marsland, Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland for League Against Cruel Sports, said:

“Before the new ban, the League routinely filmed hunts running a coach and horses through the old legislation. Time and again we had to watch as foxes were chased and killed by packs of dogs in the Scottish countryside. They said they were legally shooting foxes using a loophole in the old legislation, so we were delighted when the Government bought in a new law that they said would close that loophole. Although at that time, we did warn that mounted fox hunters have a history of exploiting any loopholes they can find.

“We are devastated to discover that at least one mounted hunt was able to exploit a new loophole last season and we worry that more will learn this trick in the new hunting season which is just around the corner.  We are convinced that this isn’t what the Government wants and we have written to the Cabinet Secretary to urge her to make sure that fox hunting in Scotland is really banned - for good.”

The fox hunting season traditionally starts in September. In the letter, issued today, the League Against Cruel Sports is calling for a detailed and publicly accessible review of the licenses issued to date, including an assessment as to how the tests for licensing have been met in each instance; a commitment to increasing compliance monitoring of licences issued over the next season to at least half of all licences; and the exclusion of mounted hunts from activity that is licenced for the use of more than two dogs.

Ends

References:

Licences issued: Written question and answer: S6W-28474 | Scottish Parliament Website

Compliance monitoring: Written question and answer: S6W-28475 | Scottish Parliament Website

‘No place in modern Scotland’: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/hunting-dogs-no-place-modern-29018958

‘Should be the exception’: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/RAINE-29-06-2022?meeting=13864&iob=125704

Licencing Tests: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/rural-affairs-islands-and-natural-environment-committee/correspondence/2022/hunting-with-dogs-letter-from-the-minister-6-december-2022.pdf

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Notes for Editors:

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, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, the strengthened fox hunting laws of the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 and a ban on the use of snares created by the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023.

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).