The government is under growing pressure over its manifesto pledge to ban trail hunting, as plans to change the law have been dubbed “completely unjustified” by pro-hunting campaign groups.
Trail hunting, which involves laying a trail using a rag soaked in animal scent, became prevalent after the government at the time banned foxhunting.
It mimics traditional foxhunting with dogs, but without chasing, injuring, or killing an animal. However, animal welfare campaigners have argued that it is being used as a smokescreen for the continued illegal hunting of wild foxes – an assertion supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Labour, which introduced the original ban on hunting with dogs, pledged in its manifesto this year to ban trail hunting as part of what it says are measures to “improve animal welfare”.
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These plans came under the spotlight as the annual Boxing Day hunts met on Thursday, with some arguing that those involved were taking part in a legitimate, legal activity that brings the rural community together.
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, which supports hunting, said it would be “extraordinary” for Labour to focus on this area given the poor state of relations with rural communities.
He said: “It’s very sad that we may be going back to a point where we have to waste even more parliamentary time on this irrelevant issue.
“If they are claiming that somehow this law needs to be changed to address illegal behaviour, then it needs to be very carefully thought through, and any proposals that are brought forward do just need to address that.
“Because what there can’t be any case for is stopping people going into the countryside with a pack of hounds or dogs and carrying out a completely benign activity, which is what hunts are doing.”
It comes just weeks after ministers imposed inheritance tax on farmland for the first time since 1992, with a 20 per cent rate to apply in respect of land valued at £1m or more.
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However, animal rights campaigners are piling pressure on the government to go further to legislate against animal cruelty, as an estimated 250 hunts came out for the traditional Boxing Day meet.
The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), citing figures compiled by its intelligence team, said that since the beginning of August, 186 foxes have been reported being pursued by hunts, and there were 220 reports relating to suspected illegal hunting incidents.
There were also 553 reports of “hunt havoc”, in which hounds caused disruption by chasing other wild animals or pets, worrying livestock, causing traffic incidents, or disturbing the public, the organisation said.
Emma Judd, head of campaigns at LACS, said: “Hunts may claim they are following a pre-laid animal scent trail, known as trail hunting, but this has been shown to be nothing but a smokescreen to conceal old-fashioned illegal hunting.”
Meanwhile, analysis compiled in May this year by the pressure group indicated that a majority of people support strengthening the laws to prevent foxhunting.
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Dan Norris, the Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham and the organisation’s chair, urged ministers to “listen to the majority view, including in rural areas, to close the legal loopholes that allow needless cruelty to animals, and implement a proper ban on hunting once and for all”.
But earlier this year, a new report revealed that banning trail hunting would not stop hunts from killing foxes and deer, because hunters would find other ways around the law.
The report, seen by The Independent, was drawn up by hunting opponents who claim that the law is too easily abused and leaves wildlife with too little protection.
It follows reports that foxhunters are set to face harsher penalties under plans being pursued by the government. Countryside groups have responded angrily, accusing No 10 of “picking another fight” with rural communities.
Defra refused to deny the reports officially when approached by The Independent, but a source said the government has “no immediate plans” to introduce harsher penalties.
A Defra spokesperson said: “This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious animal welfare plans in a generation, and that is exactly what we will do. We are committed to a ban on trail hunting, which is being exploited as a smokescreen to cruelly kill foxes and hares.”
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