Antisocial hunt behaviour is rife across Britain, report shows

Monday, October 17, 2022.

Hunt Havoc: the human cost of hunting with hounds report, issued by leading animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports, is based on eye-witness reports that reveal the scale of the havoc hunts are causing across the British countryside.

It outlines 310 incidents nationally since 2018 in which hunts are seen not only chasing and killing animals but marauding on private and public land, intimidating individuals and communities, hunting on railway lines and roads, and chasing and sometimes killing livestock and pets.

Chris Luffingham, director of external affairs, at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The report clearly shows how hunts impact people’s lives, their livelihoods and communities, simply for their own sordid entertainment – every single week during the hunting season we are getting reports of hunt havoc occurring across Britain.

“We urge members of the public to get in touch if they have been the victim of a hunt to help us document their behaviour so we can strengthen the Hunting Act and end hunting with dogs once and for all.”

Alongside the report, the League has created a supporter pack which offers advice for ordinary people on how to deal with the behaviour of the hunts.

New polling commissioned by the League and conducted by Find Out Now and Electoral Calculus showed that voters across Britain backed moves to strengthen the Hunting Act by a wide margin (78%).

Rural voters across Britain were also in favour of strengthening the Hunting Act 2004 (76%).

More than half of the respondents (55%) said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate in the next general election who pledged to strengthen the Hunting Act. Only 6% said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who pledged to strengthen the Hunting Act.

Hunting was banned in February 2005 with the introduction of the Hunting Act but hunting with dogs still continues with hunts exploiting loopholes in the law or using the excuse they are ‘trail’ hunting.

Chris added: “It’s time for change. It’s time for hunting with dogs to be stopped for good and the Government needs to strengthen the Hunting Act to achieve this.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The report and supporter packs are available here.

The hunt havoc incidents occurred in 53 counties across Britain.

See attached infographic highlighting the scale and nature of hunt havoc across the UK.

Polling was conducted online by Find Out Now between June 11 and June 14 2022, and the total sample size was 5,187 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). MRP Analysis was conducted by Electoral Calculus. Both Find Out Now and Electoral Calculus are members of the British Polling Council.

Download the full data here.

For more information or interview requests please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 (24hrs) or email pressoffice@league.org.uk