Ecology of a Fox
Ecology of the Red Fox Few native species divide opinion as deeply as the red fox. Despite being voted the
We Want A New Hunting Act NOW
Save Me opposes fox hunting in the strongest possible terms. It’s why we exist.
Killing a wild animal for what amounts to “fun” for the thugs who follow this practice is cruel, despicable and, if that’s not enough, illegal.
Following the publication of the Burns Report, fox hunting was effectively banned under the Hunting Act when it received Royal Assent in November 2004, coming into force on 18 February 2005. Despite this appearing to be a step forward, the law is deeply flawed. This controversial legislation contains ambiguity and several loopholes that many hunts continue to exploit to the fullest extent. As a result, foxes are still being hunted behind a conspiratorial smokescreen of secrecy, deliberately designed to conceal these activities from the unsuspecting British public.
Labour are the party who have pledged to make fox hunting illegal, so please join our fight and support us as we push for a brand-new Hunting Act under primary legislation—one that closes the loopholes and finally ends this cruelty for good.
Trail Hunting Consultation
End Trail Hunting. End The Chase.
The government’s consultation on trail hunting is open now, and it closes on 11:59 pm on Thursday, 18 June 2026. We know these forms can feel long, confusing, and time-consuming, which is often what stops people from responding.To make this easier, we’ve put together suggested answers to the consultation questions below. You are free to use them, copy them, or adapt them in your own words before submitting your response. You can open the consultation form in a new tab using the link below, and keep this page open to copy responses as you go. Every submission counts. These consultations are shaped by public responses, which means what you write directly influences what happens next.If this issue matters to you, please take a few minutes to respond before the deadline on 18 June.
OUR SUGGESTED RESPONSES
Q1 – Q6* This is just about your personal details, who you are submitting for and issues of confidentiality.
Q1 – Would you like your response to this consultation to be confidential in the event of an access to information request (see confidentiality and data protection above)?We suggest No: This means your response can be shared publicly but your name and contact details will not be made public.If you choose Yes, you will be asked to explain what information you want kept confidential and why.Q5 – If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, what is the name of that organisation?Note that there has to be something added in the field even if you are submitting as an individual. If that is the case, we suggest entering ‘Not applicable’ or similar.You can submit a personal response and respond on behalf of an organisation.
Q7 - Do you agree with the proposed definition of “trail hunting”?
“For the purposes of the legislation, we propose to use the following definition of “trail hunting”:“Trail hunting” is the activity in which a dog is directed to find and follow an animal-based scent which has been laid for that purpose. “Animal-based scent” means: a scent which is derived from a wild mammal, or a scent which mimics, replicates or resembles the scent of a wild mammal (or which is designed to do so), whether or not that scent is derived wholly or in part from artificial ingredients.”We suggest No: the definition offered here appears to be taken from the websites of pro-hunting organisations and suggests that trail hunting is a legitimate activity.In the very rare cases where hunts bother to lay a trail, our research shows that hunts use a variety of scents, mostly animal-based (fox) but at times they claim to use items such as aniseed and even human urine.As for a definition, we would suggest pointing out the above. We do not suggest you try as an individual to write a definition of trail hunting.
Q8 - What types of conduct should be covered by ‘engagement’ or ‘participation’ in trail hunting?
Our proposed ban on trail hunting would mean that it would be an offence to engage or participate in trail hunting. We also intend to include offences for conduct which would assist unlawful trail hunting to take place.Trail Hunting was created solely to be used as a smokescreen to conceal the continued practice of traditional hunting after the passing of the 2004 Hunting Act. Most hunts do not bother with pretending to lay a trail but will claim they did when they end up in court.We suggest you mention the following points to identify their conduct:Laying a scent line (whether animal-based, artificial, or purely cosmetic with no scent).The carrying or display of bottles of scent and other trail laying equipment.Encouraging dogs to enter woodland, scrub, or crop field where quarry species will reside.Entering dogs to fields holding livestock.Use of horn and voice calls to encourage or direct hounds when they go into cry on any quarry species.
Q9 - In relation to offences or conduct which would assist unlawful trail hunting to take place, we intend that it should be an offence for the owner or occupier of land to knowingly cause or permit another person to engage or participate in trail hunting on that land. Do you agree?
Answer: Yes.You can of course leave it at that but we would suggest that it is common sense and the norm in other areas of law that assisting a criminal act makes the person involved part of that criminal activity.
Q10 - In relation to offences or conduct which would assist unlawful trail hunting to take place, we intend that it should be an offence for the owner or person responsible for a dog to knowingly cause or permit another person to use the dog for trail hunting. Do you agree?
Answer: Yes (any clarifications should be similar to Q9).You can include hunt members in control of hounds and any incidents of hunt chaos on public roads, including who appeared to be in control at the time.
Q11 - Are there any other forms of conduct which should be considered as possible offences in relation to offences or conduct which would assist unlawful trail hunting to take place?
All of the existing exemptions in the current Hunting Act assist illegal hunting.We suggest mentioning the participation of terrier men at hunts with terriers, spades, quad bikes and other equipment used to assist illegal hunting.You can also mention the exemptions relating to stag hunting and the argument that stag hunting only persists because of these loopholes.The obstruction and physical assaults on people filming in a public space is another indication.You may also want to see our Amending the Hunting Act for further details.
Q12 - Do you consider that any other legislative changes are necessary to ensure that a ban on trail hunting is effective?
Answer: Yes. To achieve a full ban on illegal hunting, we need more than the removal of smokescreen trail hunting.We would suggest the following:Recklessness clause – to ensure that injury to any animal is a breach of the ActReversal of the burden of proofRemoval of all Hunting Exemptions outlined in the current Hunting Act 2004‘Hunting’ definition to include the Act of ‘Searching for a Scent or Animal’Criminal penalties to be aligned to Animal Welfare Act 2006.You may also want to see our Amending the Hunting Act for further details.
Q13 - Do you think that it is possible for dogs to be appropriately trained for specific purposes other than trail hunting without the use of either animal based scents or artificial scents which mimic an animal-based scent?
“We are aware that animal based scents, or scents which mimic animal based scents, are sometimes used to train dogs for specific purposes, other than trail hunting, such as pest control. We are keen to understand whether there might be a need for exemptions to cover such cases.”We suggest you answer No to help prevent unnecessary exemptions which would be exploited by hunters.
Q14 - Do you think that it should remain lawful, in certain circumstances, for animal based scents, or scents which mimic animal based scents, to be used in training dogs for certain purposes?
Answer: No.Specialist Dogs are obviously used to find dead bodies, explosives etc but these are for specific reasons and are for individual animals used for law enforcement and the issue is not relevant for any ‘sport’ activity.
Q15 - Do you agree that this is an accurate description of drag hunting?
“We understand that drag hunting is an equestrian sport where an artificial non-animal based scent trail, which does not mimic an animal based scent, is laid along a pre- determined route for hounds to follow.”
Answer: No. We would suggest that such a definition needs to include that a scent is not laid in any area such as roads, woodlands, crop fields or any other area where wildlife would normally reside.
Q16 - Do you think that there is a risk that dogs engaged in drag hunting will deviate from the pre-laid trail by the scent of a wild mammal and then pursue the wild mammal?
We suggest: Yes.This is a given, our experience shows that hounds will naturally do this, preferring the excitement of a live animal to chase over any artificial scent.
Q17 - Do you agree that this is an accurate description of ‘clean boot’ hunting?
“We understand ‘clean boot’ hunting is an activity where hounds hunt human runners who neither wear nor drag any form of artificial scent enhancement.”Answer No. We suggest it is important that the definition includes the use of Bloodhounds.
Q18 - Do you think there is a risk that dogs engaged in clean boot hunting will deviate from their pursuit of human runners to the pursuit of wild mammals?
Answer: Yes.It is fair to point out that as Clean Boot hunts use smaller number of Bloodhounds, trained from puppyhood to follow the unadulterated scent of a human runner (not a laid scent of any kind), the risk to wildlife is minimal and the sport does not have the culture behind it of killing animals, so the participants actively tend to prevent such occurrences.
Q19 - Do you think that a new law to ban trail hunting would need to include any additional provisions in relation to drag hunting or clean boot hunting?
Answer: Yes.By its very nature the practice of Trail hunting crosses over into the practice of drag hunting although there are differences. If provisions are not made, hunts will just shift their claims from being a trail hunt to being a drag hunt. Our research shows that some hunts have already started doing this by joining, or attempting to join, drag hunt governing bodies.
Q20 - Are there any equestrian activities other than drag hunting, for example point to points, which you think are at risk from being affected by the proposed ban on trail hunting?
Answer: Yes.However point-to point racing is used by most hunts as a fund raising and membership raising activity, nothing else. We do not know of any other equestrian activities which would be affected directly by the end of hunting to hounds.
Q21 - How do you think the introduction of a ban on trail hunting will affect dogs used for trail hunting? For example, will they be able to be re-directed to other activities?
Answer: Yes.Hounds are still being bred even while hunting is under threat. Hounds are killed around the age of 5-7 when they start to slow, also puppies are killed if they do not meet the hunting standard; be that in appearance, barking too much or stamina. It is worth pointing this out in your own words.
Q22 - Do you think that there should be a transition period following the introduction of a ban on trail hunting and if so, how long should that period be?
Answer: No.Hunts have had over 20 years (a generation) to change their ways and have decided as a community to ignore the law. We see no reason to allow further time for their criminal activity.
Q23 - Do you think that the proposed legislation to ban trail hunting in England and Wales will affect people and/or communities more widely?
Answer: No.The rural communities are as supportive of the ban as any other area of the country. The only real effect of a ban on hunting with hounds would be to free rural communities of the burden of hunts blocking roads and trespassing on property and intimidating non-hunting members of rural communities.If you have negative experiences of hunting in your community, you may wish to include short examples here.
Q24 - How do you think the proposed ban on trail hunting might affect the income and activities of the hunts currently involved in this activity?
This should not be a consideration. We do not consider the economic impact of other criminals being stopped in their activities.
Q25 - How do you think the proposed ban on Trail hunting might affect the income and activities of businesses directly linked with hunts which currently engage in trail hunting?
The impact will be minimal, hunts do not generate much work for local businesses.
Q26 - Do you think that the proposed ban on trail hunting in England and Wales might affect other businesses not directly linked with hunts?
The impact will be minimal to none in most rural businesses. 99% of those who own horses do not hunt. There will be a negligible impact.
Q27 – How do you think that the proposed ban on trail hunting could affect the environment or wildlife?
The effect on wildlife would be positive. Apart from animals not being killed, the reduction of habitat disturbance would be of benefit for all wildlife and their habitats.
Q28 - Are there any other matters, including possible alternatives to primary legislation, which you feel should be taken into account in developing the legislation to ban trail hunting?
Any ban must address the issues within the Hunting Act 2004, which have allowed hunts and their organising bodies to circumvent the legislation, including exemptions and the definition of hunting that permits the seeking and flushing of wildlife.
Q29 - Is there any other evidence you would like us to consider?
This is the place to put personal information of how hunting has detrimentally affected you:Perhaps you are a rambler, whose peaceful walk has been ruined by the horrifying sight of hounds chasing or killing a fox.Perhaps you are a rural resident whose garden has been invaded by hounds.Perhaps you live in fear of your pet or other animals being killed by the hunt.Perhaps you are a motorist whose journey is delayed by hunters and hounds on the road. Perhaps you are one of the majority of rural residents who is anti-hunt and suffers from intimidation by the local hunt.Please add your own stories of how hunting has affected your life here.
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