Ministers urged to end ‘smokescreen’ of trail hunting as Boxing Day hunts near

Ministers have been urged to end the “smokescreen” of trail hunting in anticipation of Boxing Day hunts across the country.

Environment minister Mary Creagh said the Government is committed to banning the practice and providing “significant protections” for foxes and hares.

Trail hunting is a legal alternative to hunting animals with hounds, where a trail of animal urine, usually fox, is laid in advance and the trail is then tracked by “hunters” on horseback or on foot.

Ban

Fox hunting was banned in England and Wales following the introduction of the Hunting Act 2004, which came into force a year later.

Labour MP for Cannock Chase Josh Newbury told MPs: “This time of year brings festive cheer, but it also brings the Boxing Day hunt.

“Alongside many of my constituents, I am keen to see an end to the smoke screen that is trail hunting.

“Following the last Labour government’s historic fox hunting ban, will the minister confirm this Labour Government’s commitment to banning trail hunting once and for all?”

Protections

Ms Creagh replied: “We have indeed committed to a ban on trail hunting, which will provide significant protections to wild animals, including foxes and hares.

“Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing, and further announcements will be made in due course.”

Earlier in the session, Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse (Bath) raised the issue of trophy hunting of exotic animals and called on the Government to revive previously debated legislation that failed to make it to the statue books.

Support

She told the Commons: “It is now 10 years since the senseless killing of Cecil the lion. It is still legal to import hunting trophies into this country.

“There’s cross-party support for a long time to ban trophy hunting.

“In 2023 the Labour Party said to the then Conservative Party, what is stopping the government to bringing in legislation and stop dithering and delaying? Why is this Government still dithering and delaying?”

Ms Creagh pointed out “with the greatest of respect” that Ms Hobhouse’s party was previously in government for five years, and the Tories for 14 years, as she recommitted Labour to banning the practice.

She said: “It’s always good after five months in office to be criticised for previous failures, but I will agree with her that the party opposite cannot be trusted on animal welfare.

“They failed to pass the Trophy Hunting Bill that would have stopped selfish hunters who slaughter and display endangered animals’ body parts for their own perverse self-gratification and drop the Kept Animals Bill that would have ended puppy smuggling, puppy farming and pet theft.

“As I say, we are looking for a suitable legislative vehicle, and we will do it in Government time.”

She earlier said: “The UK has a long history of championing the global conservation of endangered species, we are in the process of extending the Ivory Act to include four further species, hippopotamus, killer whale, narwhal and sperm whale, in addition to elephants, this Government has also committed to ban imports of hunting trophies. We are considering the most effective way to do so.”

Brutality

Animal welfare campaigners from wildlife charity the League Against Cruel Sports have branded plans for Boxing Day fox hunt parades across Wales as a “lame public relations exercise” which masks the hunts’ brutality.

The hunt parades, the biggest day in the hunting calendar, are set to take place across Wales today despite a series of high-profile incidents which have raised serious questions about their behaviour.

In 2021, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), one of the country’s biggest landowners banned trail hunting, to ensure the practice wasn’t being used as a cover for illegal activity.

Harm to wildlife

Emma Judd, head of campaigns and communications at the League Against Cruel Sports said: “The Welsh Boxing Day parades are nothing but a lame public relations exercise designed to cover up the reality of the harm they cause to wildlife and rural communities. They are attempting to mask that brutal reality, but their masks are slipping.”

The League’s figures showed the Flint and Denbigh Hunt was involved in 13 cases of suspected illegal hunting and 19 cases of hunt havoc which include incidents such as reports of trespassing on private land and running amok on busy roads.

Trail hunting, which campaigners say is simply an excuse developed by fox hunts after fox hunting was banned, has been increasingly called into question and discredited in the past few years.

Chief Superintendent Matt Longman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on fox hunting crime, described trail hunting as a “smokescreen for continuing illegal hunting” and suggested the Hunting Act 2004 was not fit for purpose.

Emma added: “No one really believes the Welsh hunts’ claims anymore that they are following trails when all the evidence points towards foxes being chased and killed.

“It’s time for change. It’s time for hunting laws to be strengthened in Wales and England so that the barbaric and sordid world of fox hunting is finally consigned to the history books.”