Hunting in Northern Ireland - the background
Animal welfare is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland meaning the Assembly can make its own decisions on what legal protection to give to animals and doesn’t need to do the same as other parts of the UK.
However, hunting wild mammals with dogs has been illegal everywhere else for many years. Scotland was the first nation to ban fox hunting by introducing the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002. Over the last two decades it has been proven that the law is ineffective due to a number of loopholes, the Scottish Government is now rectifying this with a second Bill which will strengthen the existing legislation.
England and Wales banned hunting in 2004, by introducing The Hunting Act. Following the introduction of The Hunting Act, a new sport of trail hunting was introduced. This allows hunts to mimic traditional hunting by following a pre-laid trail of a fox-based scent, so again the situation is far from satisfactory.
Northern Ireland is in a unique position in that it can learn lessons from what has happened elsewhere and introduce a law which works effectively, ending the cruelty of hunting properly. In 2010, Green MLA, Brian Wilson attempted to introduce a Bill to ban fox hunting but this was rejected. Ten years later, John Blair MLA from the Alliance Party also attempted a Private Members Bill which was voted down at stage two last year. Let’s make it third time lucky, help us bring this issue back to Stormont and end hunting for good
Its time to ban hunting with dogs
Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK where hunting with dogs is still legal. This includes fox hunting, hare hunting and stag hunting, by both mounted hunts and foot packs. This puts Northern Ireland significantly behind the rest of the UK when it comes to legislating to protect animals from cruelty.
The types of hunting which take place in Northern Ireland perfectly legally include:
- Fox hunting, hare hunting or stag hunting where hunters ride out on horseback or follow on foot with a pack of hounds to track, chase, attack and kill their quarry.
- Terrier work which involves individuals sending terriers underground to ‘flush out’ or force a wild animal to flee before being killed
- Individuals using dogs such as lurchers to chase and kill hares
The good news is, the public overwhelmingly supports a ban on all types of hunting.
- 79% of Northern Irish people think using dogs to hunt deer should be illegal.
- 73% of Northern Irish people think using dogs to hunt foxes should be illegal.
- 76% of Northern Irish people think it should be illegal to use dogs to hunt hares.
- 71% of Northern Irish people think it should be illegal to use dogs to hunt rabbits.
The last attempt to ban this abhorrent pastime failed, but the public is resolute that they want this issue to be brought back to Stormont. 73% of Northern Irish people agree that the Assembly should revisit this issue and introduce legislation which makes hunting with dogs illegal in Northern Ireland.
Polling carried out by Survation on behalf of the League Against Cruel Sports. Fieldwork conducted between 4th - 15th February 2022, sample size of 1,010 of 18+ adults living in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK where hunting with dogs remains legal. England, Wales, and Scotland already have bans in place, and Northern Ireland is lagging behind.
Almost half of the people in Northern Ireland think hunting with dogs is illegal. When they realise that it isn’t, between seven and eight out of ten people say it should be"
Ulster Society for the Prevention Cruelty to Animals (USPCA)
According to a recent opinion poll conducted in February 2024, almost half of the people in Northern Ireland think hunting with dogs is illegal. When they realise that it isn’t, between seven and eight out of ten people say it should be.
call for a ban
It is clear, the public wants to protect nature, not attack it.
Hunting dogs will kill any companion animal they come across, and hunt members simply shrug off these incidents as ‘collateral casualties’. Tame deer are ‘carted’ into the countryside and released to be persecuted by dogs - an activity that is already illegal.
The farming community is surviving in economically challenging times; disease control in animals and crops is a priority. Many farmers, acutely aware of the need for bio-security, are less than happy with hunts trespassing on their property and have banned them from their land.
Hunt supporters are opposed to a ban on hunting with dogs, claiming it is a ‘countryside tradition’ and pest control. These thin veils disguise the cruel reality of the ‘sport’. There is a small section of the Northern Irish community who enjoy hunting and killing wild animals with dogs as a source of entertainment. Its legality also provides a cover for those engaged in the illegal killing of badgers, otherwise known as badger baiting.
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There are two types of hunting with dogs: ‘red coats’ on horseback with their hounds, and terrier men, people (mainly men) on foot with terrier-type dogs who hunt foxes and other wildlife.
We want to see both types of hunts banned in Northern Ireland.
In January 2023, Scotland enhanced their legislation to close the loopholes to bring this cruel practice to an end. Stormont has an opportunity to learn from Scotland and develop robust legislation, leading the way to consigning bringing this barbaric ‘sport’ to history.
Add your voice to call for a ban on hunting with dogs.