Alison Johnstone to introduce bill banning fox hunting in Scotland

Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone will introduce a bill to the Scottish Parliament to ban fox hunting in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing fox hunting laws, which allow foxes to be flushed from cover and shot dead for pest control.

A review, conducted by Lord Bonomy, suggested that around 800 foxes are killed by hunts every year in Scotland, with one in five foxes killed by packs of hounds, in breach of the Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002.  

The review concluded that there are still "aspects and features of the [fox hunting] legislation which complicate unduly the detection, investigation and prosecution of alleged offences".

Bonomy recommended introducing independent monitors to police hunts, while suggesting that landowners should be held legally responsible for hunts that take place on their property.

Alison Johnstone said: “In 2002 the Wild Mammals Act aimed to ban foxhunting but has clearly failed. The practice of ‘flushing’ foxes with packs of dogs to waiting guns is in many cases hunting with dogs under another name.

“Polling shows most Scots are in favour of a full ban, and I will bring forward a member's bill to deliver one.

“SNP members, like most of the public, have been horrified by recent decisions on puppy tail docking and shock collars. We cannot allow ministers to kick the can down the road on foxhunting. It's time to take a stand.”