Hunting Act 2004
The Hunting Act 2004 is a piece of legislation passed by the UK parliament that bans the hunting of wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales. The law came into effect in February 2005, making it a criminal offence to hunt foxes, deer, hares, and other mammals using dogs.
Hunting with dogs gained significant public attention in the 1990s when the League Against Cruel Sports launched a campaign to ban fox hunting. A number of high-profile incidents involving the killing of foxes and other animals by hunters and their hounds fueled public outrage and led to the formation of the Campaign to Protect Hunted Animals (CPHA). The campaign gained widespread support from animal welfare groups, politicians, and members of the public, culminating in a demonstration in London in September 2002, which attracted around 400,000 people.
In response to the campaign, the UK government introduced the Hunting Act 2004, which banned hunting with dogs in England and Wales. The law did not apply to Scotland, where a similar ban had been in place since 2002. The Hunting Act made it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, and to engage in any activity that facilitates or enables hunting. The Act also made it an offence to attend, participate, or facilitate a hunting event, and to sell or offer for sale hunting equipment.
The Hunting Act 2004 is a piece of legislation that bans hunting with dogs in England and Wales. The law was introduced in response to a long-running campaign by animal welfare groups.