“Barbaric sociopathic nonsense must end”-Anti Fox Hunting campaigners rally outside Parliament to demand fox hunting ban once and for all.
Animal welfare campaigners gathered outside Parliament on Saturday 7 May, in a passionate call for the government to finally bring an end to fox hunting and ban hunting with dogs once and for all.
The rally, organised by the national charity the League Against Cruel Sports, came as the government consultation on banning so called trail hunting continues. Campaigners argue that trail hunting has long been used as a smokescreen to conceal the chasing and killing of foxes.
Supporters from the League Against Cruel Sports, Hunt Saboteurs Association, RSPCA, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Humane World for Animals and members of the public stood together demanding stronger laws and tougher enforcement.
Among the speakers were conservationist and television presenter Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin, actor Peter Egan, Badger Trust chief executive Nigel Palmer, anti hunt campaigner Martina Irwin and League Against Cruel Sports organiser Hannah Dickson.
Speaking to the Havering Daily, Chris Packham did not hold back.
“We’ve waited years to get a real opportunity to put illegal fox hunting to bed. We have been putting up with nonsense, sociopathic barbaric nonsense. We have a manifesto pledge to make fox hunting illegal, trail hunting that is a smoke screen for fox hunting. We must fill in this consultation so our voices can be heard and we can demand an end to this.”
Speaking at the rally, he added:
“Trail hunting is a lie. The overwhelming majority of the British public want to see an end to fox hunting.
“Finally, we have a golden opportunity to put an end to this barbarism and I want to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the government’s consultation to end fox hunting.”
Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said the time had come for meaningful action.
“The clock is ticking on hunting with hounds and we are calling for new, stronger fox hunting laws to end this brutal blood sport once and for all.
“It’s time for change. We need to see trail hunting banned, a proper deterrent in the form of jail sentences to deter would be hunters, the removal of all the loopholes in the law, and an end to reckless or ‘accidental’ hunting.”
The League recently published figures demonstrating that fox hunting remains widespread across England and Wales. According to the organisation, 488 foxes were seen being chased during the most recent cub hunting and fox hunting seasons.
Campaigners also highlighted what they describe as repeated antisocial behaviour linked to hunts, with more than 1,200 reported incidents affecting rural communities. These included allegations of trespass, livestock worrying and hounds running loose on railway lines and busy roads.
The charity says only 23 of the 624 hunt meets monitored across England and Wales showed evidence of a trail actually being laid, while foxes were allegedly chased at almost all of those meets regardless.
Polling commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports found that 76 per cent of the public support stronger fox hunting laws, including a majority of people living in rural areas.
The government consultation remains open until 18 June and campaigners are urging the public to take part and make their voices heard.
For those gathered outside Parliament on Saturday, the message was simple. Fox hunting belongs in the past and they want this to be the moment it is finally consigned to history.
Please see a link to the consultation here:
https://www.league.org.uk/hunting_consultation
Please see our interview with Chris Packham below
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