© 2024 Hunt Saboteurs Association
With all the success we’ve been having following the conviction of leading foxhunter Mark Hankinson, it’s easy to forget that Scotland’s ten mounted fox hunts and several footpacks are unaffected by the judgment.
Scottish fox hunts operate under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 – a different law to that used in England and Wales. It is legal to use hounds to flush foxes towards guns, so Scottish foxhunters have developed their own style of ‘smokescreen’ – they have a few people hanging around with guns but still use the hounds to chase foxes as they did pre-ban.
Fortunately, there are several hunt sab groups in Scotland who put themselves in harm’s way week in, week out to fight this cruelty. On one recent occasion, courageous sabs protected a terrified fox that had taken refuge in an earth. Sabs sat on the earth for over three hours, enduring violence, abuse, and threats of arrest before the hunt finally gave up and went home.
We now have an opportunity to make the lives of foxes – and hunt sabs – a little easier in Scotland. Scotland’s government is running a consultation on much-needed changes to the law. The consultation takes just a few minutes to complete, and we urge all our supporters to make sure their voice is heard.
In particular, please note Question 4 which asks about banning trail hunting. We strongly urge our supporters to reply ‘Yes’ to this question, to ensure that this activity – a proven sham and fiction – can never be used to cover for illegal hunting in Scotland. The consultation closes on 15th December 2021.
Whatever the outcome of the consultation, Scotland’s sabs will continue to save lives in the field for as long as required. You can find out more about supporting Scottish hunt sabs by contacting Edinburgh Hunt Sabs or Glasgow Hunt Sabs.
We are the only organisation that works directly in the field to save wildlife through direct action.