The Labour government has announced a ban on trail hunting in England and Wales, a move it says is necessary to prevent the illegal hunting of foxes but which campaigners have labelled a fresh assault on the countryside.
What is Trail Hunting and Why is it Being Banned?
Ministers will formally announce the prohibition on Monday as a key component of a new, wider Animal Welfare Strategy. Trail hunting is a field sport where hunters follow packs of hounds that pursue pre-laid artificial scents, rather than live animals.
However, the government is acting on concerns that the practice is being used as a cover for the hunting of live foxes, which was outlawed by the previous Labour administration in 2004. Environment minister Baroness Hayman stated: "In our manifesto we said we would ban trail hunting, and that's exactly what we'll do."
She added: "There is evidence that trail hunting is being used as a smokescreen for the hunting of wild animals and that's not acceptable. We are working out the best approach to take the ban forward and will run a consultation to seek views in the new year."
Rural Backlash and Accusations of an 'Attack'
The decision has provoked immediate and fierce criticism from rural campaigners, who see it as the latest in a series of blows to country life following Labour's recent changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms.
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: "More legislation on trail hunting is the last thing the countryside needs and it is extraordinary that the Government thinks this is a priority."
He argued that with rural communities "reeling from the imposition of inheritance tax on family farms and a hike on rural business rates, the last thing they need is another attack on the countryside." Mr Bonner vowed that the alliance would "fight for a future for hunts and for hounds," promising endurance just as during the last hunting ban.
The looming ban in England and Wales follows a similar prohibition enacted in Scotland in 2023. It has raised fears for the future of the packs of foxhounds, beagles, and other dogs maintained by hunts. Mr Bonner emphasised that "hunts are committed to the welfare of their hounds and to maintaining the social networks that are vital to so many rural communities."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also weighed in, writing online: "So now Labour wants to ban trail hunting. You might as well ban walking dogs in the countryside as they chase rabbits, hares, deer and foxes. Labour are authoritarian control freaks."
Broader Animal Welfare Measures
The new Animal Welfare Strategy encompasses several other significant measures beyond the trail hunting ban. These include:
- A ban on snare traps, due to their potential to catch pets and cause animal suffering.
- An outlaw on shooting hares during their breeding season.
- Action to "end the cruel practice" of puppy farming and a consideration of licensing for dog rescue and rehoming organisations.
- A potential ban on electric shock dog collars.
For farm animals, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) pledged to improve welfare by moving away from confinement systems for caged hens and introducing humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: "This government is delivering the most ambitious animal welfare strategy in a generation. Our strategy will raise welfare standards for animals in the home, on the farm and in the wild."
The announcement sets the stage for a renewed clash between the government's urban-focused policy agenda and the traditions of rural England, with the consultation in the new year likely to be a major flashpoint.
