Foxes are still being hunted for 'fun'

 If you follow us on Social Media, you will have seen the beautiful photos I managed to capture of a fox roaming around the lively village of Woolacombe, Devon in broad daylight on Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Some other tourists and I attempted to lure the fox back to a nearby wooded area but, the fox wasn’t interested. According to the locals, he is often sighted in the village, looking for scraps and certainly knows his way around.

Although foxes are usually associated with the countryside, village and town life may be safer for them as their usual habitat could still be putting them in danger.

Why? – Despite the ban, foxes are still being hunted for 'fun'.

Fox hunting with dogs has been banned since 2004 because it is a barbaric and unnecessary sport.

Sadly, this ban is not properly enforced. Many of those who once chose to participate in fox hunting with dogs now take part in 'Trail Hunting' and, it is believed they are using this to bend the current law. 

What is Trail Hunting?

Trail hunting was born in 2004 after the Hunting Act came into force. It was created to be an alternative to traditional hunting because it involves hounds following the scent of a fox instead of the fox itself.

However, the fox scent is usually set in areas where both they and other mammals are likely to live. As the hounds are still being trained to follow the smell of an animal, this often leads them to chase and kill foxes, hares and deer.

The trail is supposedly placed in secret without those on horseback knowing. If the hounds decide to chase an animal the hunter will claim they knew nothing about it and use this as the reason they did not stop the hound from killing the poor creature.

There is evidence to suggest that trail hunting has been created as a cover up for those still wishing to hunt without being prosecuted (visit https://www.league.org.uk/trail-hunting for more information).

They must be stopped.

What can you do to help?

The League Against Cruel Sports will be presenting their petition, ‘Stop the killing of animals by hunts in the UK’, to the British government this December.

Hundreds of thousands of signatures are needed so, follow the link to sign it yourself and then share it with your friends and family.

Sign the petition >> Stop the killing of animals by hunts in the UK

Don't forget, if you would like Gifts for Animal Lovers to donate to the League Against Cruel Sports, just select their logo at checkout.  It won't cost you a penny more!