“In my judgement he was clearly encouraging the mirage of trail laying to act as a cover for old fashioned hunting.” – Judge Tan Ikram
The explosive evidence heard during the trial of Mark Hankinson, Director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, has shown the hunts’ lies about trail hunting for what they are. It’s time for trail hunting to be banned on government-owned land and it’s time to finally strengthen the Hunting Act 2004.
Senior hunt officials have described trail hunting as a “smokescreen”. Smokescreen is not an ambiguous word. It means: a ruse used to disguise someone's real intentions or activities.
Trail hunting is actively licensed on government land, including areas owned by the Ministry of Defence, with agreements even in place with the Masters of Foxhounds Association. Until a temporary suspension following the arrest of Mr Hankinson, other government-owned land such as Forestry England land was also licensed for hunting.
Please contact your MP calling for an immediate end to trail hunting on government land and to commit to strengthening the Hunting Act to end the smokescreen of trail hunting.