UK Nature and Environment

Twenty years ago, the Hunting Act 2004 came into force — a landmark piece of legislation that sought to end the cruel and outdated practice of fox hunting. This was a victory for compassion, a moment when public opinion and political will combined to take a stand against needless suffering that hunting wild mammals with dogs entails.

Yet, two decades on, we find ourselves still fighting the same battle. While the Hunting Act was undoubtably a huge step forward, it has not been the silver bullet we had hoped for. The reality is that hunting with hounds persists across England and Wales. Loopholes, such as the exemption for ‘research and observation’, continue to be exploited by organised hunts, and the invention of so-called ‘trail hunting’ abuses weaknesses within the law to allow hunts to continue as they did before the ban.

This deception must end. The British public overwhelmingly supports a ban on hunting, and yet those determined to flout the law do so with shocking impunity. Too often, we see reports of foxes being chased and killed, with those responsible escaping justice. Increasingly, law enforcement has recognised the weaknesses of the Hunting Act too, senior police officers have said: “The Hunting Act is not working effectively, and illegal hunting is still common practice”. Even the UN has urged exemptions within the law to be reviewed.