Pro Fox Hunting Information

An equestrian sport, fox hunting has been a popular in the Western world for centuries. The British Parliament outlawed the killing of foxes with dogs in 2004 and the debate about fox hunting intensified.

  1. Considerations

    • In the latter part of the 20th century, three separate inquiries (two of them sponsored by Labour Governments in England, traditionally more anti-hunting than other parties) found no conclusive evidence that fox hunting is cruel. This contradicts anti-hunting arguments.

    Expert Insight

    • More than 500 veterinarians and academics associated with animal science have publicly stated that hunting foxes with dogs is a very natural and humane way of controlling the fox population.

    Misconceptions

    • Five senior officials from anti-hunting lobbies and organizations have since changed their opinion on fox hunting and resigned their posts after realizing the dangers of a hunting ban.

    Current Effects

    • As of 2010, hunting foxes is only allowed if the animals are killed by being shot with either a rifle or a shotgun, or being trapped with certain legal snares or "live traps."

    Benefits of Hunting

    • A recent report from the Game Conservancy Trust in the U.K. found that areas used for hunting have significantly higher butterfly and wildflower populations than comparable areas in the country.