More than a decade after the Hunting Act came into force a predicted 250 000 people turned out on Saturday 26 December for Boxing Day meets around the country.
Hunting act in tatters
Speaking ahead of the annual Boxing Day spectacle, Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said: “It’s clear that the Hunting Act is in tatters. It was never about foxes or animal welfare but rather an attempt to eradicate hunts and the communities that surround them. After 11 years of the Act support for hunts is as strong as ever and the Hunting Act is mostly being used to prosecute poaching offences.
“The last case to be brought under the Hunting Act collapsed earlier this month. Those opposed to hunting are getting more and more desperate and resorting to ever more drastic measures to try to secure a conviction.
“But just because a bad law is also ineffective is no excuse for leaving it in place. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money and thousands of hours of court time have been wasted on spurious accusations under the Hunting Act – this situation cannot be allowed to continue.”
Post ban
More than 11 years after the hunting ban came into force around 45 000 people still regularly follow hunts.
There are 289 registered packs of hunting dogs in England and Wales and a further 10 in Scotland plus another 22 packs of draghounds and bloodhounds.
Research
Research undertaken by the Countryside Alliance this season produced the following statistics:
- 83% of hunts have the same number or more subscribers since the Hunting Act
- A third of hunt supporters’ clubs have gained new members
- 85% of hunts have the same number or more hounds
- 67% of hunt countries have stayed the same size or grown
- 83% of hunts employ the same number or more staff
- 91% hunt the same number of days or more each season