HUNTS AND THE LAW - WHY THE BAN ISN'T WORKING

The Independent

The ban on fox-hunting came into force in February 2005, when it was made a criminal offence for groups to hunt a wild mammal with dogs.

The first successful private prosecution under the new law took place this year when Tony Wright, of the Exmoor Foxhounds, was found guilty of hunting a wild mammal with a dog.

However, the Hunting Act 2004 does not stop hunts using two hounds to follow a scent to flush out a fox. Nor is it an offence to then shoot the fox.

These loopholes have been fully exploited by many members of Britain's hunting community, and it is estimated that around 25,000 days of hunting have been carried out by about 300 hunts since the ban.

Some hunts lay artificial trails for their hounds, using a rag soaked with a scent that is dragged ahead by "trail layers", while others have invested in golden eagles and eagle owls to exploit falconry clauses in the Act.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) can be brought against those involved in hunts. Introduced by the government in 1998, Asbos are made against people who have engaged in anti-social behaviour defined as "conduct which caused or was likely to cause alarm, harassment, or distress to one or more persons". An Asbo warning is the last step before a full Asbo. Breaching an Asbo is a criminal offence.

Read More Here