Issues

ENDING TRAIL HUNTING

The RSPCA believes that hunting wild mammals with dogs is intrinsically cruel and that the Hunting Act 2004 should be amended to end trail hunting. 

Improving the Hunting Act 2004

The RSPCA believes that hunting wild mammals with dogs is intrinsically cruel and despite some positives of the Hunting Act 2004, including setting a marker in the sand for what is acceptable in a modern, humane society, there is a need to amend it. 

The public has consistently supported a ban on the hunting of wild mammals with dogs with around the 80% supporting a ban.

We therefore welcome the Government’s commitment to deliver on this and believe there are a number of areas where the 2004 Act could be tightened to prevent cruelty to animals. These fall into three areas:

  1. Tightening the law by banning trail hunting, repealing exemptions, and prohibiting the use of animal based products for any trail. 
  2. Requiring dogs to be kept under proper control and consideration for restricting the number of dogs that can be used.
  3. Improving enforcement provisions such as tougher penalties, extending time limits for investigating and considering reversing the burden of proof and introducing an offence of vicarious liability. 

Next steps 

In December 2025, the UK Government launched its new Animal Welfare Strategy, which included a proposal to ban trail hunting, as promised in Labour’s manifesto. 

In March 2026, the UK Government launched a consultation on trail hunting, which will consider a range of evidence and views on the issue. The outcome could bring us one step closer to making hunting wild animals a thing of the past. 

Briefings