Hunting Act has failed miserably

03 November

THE BEGINNING of November, when 300 Hunts across England and Wales are holding their traditional Opening Meets, seems a relevant time to once again expose the flaws and irregularities contained in the Hunting Act 2004.
If anyone thinks that this law has improved animal welfare, perhaps they might care to reconsider and examine exactly what the Hunting Act does. It is legal to chase wild mammals out of cover using dogs as long as only two dogs are used and “reasonable steps” are taken to ensure the animal is shot, but it is illegal to use three hounds to flush out an animal and a second offence is committed if there is no intention to shoot it.
It legal to use a terrier underground to flush out a fox and kill it in order to protect birds to be shot for sport – e.g. pheasants, but illegal to use exactly the same method to protect farm livestock or a rare species. It is legal to hunt a rabbit with dogs, though illegal to hunt a hare with dogs. The Hunting Act permits a hare that has already been shot and wounded to be hunted, but not a wounded fox. Finally, it is legal to hunt a rat with dog, but illegal to hunt a mouse with dog.
While the supporters of this law claimed that it would improve animal welfare it is clear that their true aim was to prevent a particular type of hunting upheld by a particular type of person. However, at all levels the Hunting Act has failed miserably. The vast majority of successful prosecutions have been for poaching offences which were already illegal under legislation that pre-existed the Hunting Act, whilst organised hunting has survived, albeit in a different form. As for animal welfare, the limited evidence gathered so far indicates that wild mammal welfare has declined.
Is it not time, therefore, to consider a more practical and principled way to improve the welfare and management of our wild mammals and forget this obsession with banning the use of scenting hounds – a natural and humane method that is selective and leaves no wounded survivors?

James Barrington
via e-mail