Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

The Hunting Act 2004 came into force at midnight on 17th February 2005, making it an offence to hunt wild mammals. Its glaring inconsistencies highlight it for what it really is – legislation motivated by prejudice and spite rather than principle and evidence. The Alliance's 'Hunting Handbook' is a detailed guide to hunting within the new law and the campaign for the repeal of this bad law, or its replacement with more sensible legislation, continues.

Expert opinion on animal welfare and wildlife management does not favour a ban, and the Government’s own independent inquiry, the Burns Inquiry concluded that that there was no evidence that hunting was any less humane than alternative methods of control. Public opinion is opposed to a ban, and supports a regulatory, or licensing, system for hunting. The case for hunting is summarised in 'Hunting the Truth' which also contains a wealth of facts and figures about all types of hunting.

The Alliance has a three-strand strategy, 'Hunting: forward not back', working towards the repeal of the Hunting Act. This is to pursue all available legal avenues, to continue to campaign for a more tolerant and balanced House of Commons and to repeal or amend the Hunting Act so as to improve wildlife management and animal welfare, and above all to illustrate the failures of the Hunting Act and to demonstrate that it will not stand the test of time.

The campaign works closely with all other parts of the Alliance and with the Council of Hunting Associations (CHA), which includes the Masters of Foxhounds Association, to educate and inform about the facts on hunting, especially through the 'Hunting in the Community' programme, as well as to respond to and counter threats to hunting and to promote openness and accountability amongst the community hunting.

Click here to get the latest news from our hunting campaign.