Help us to finally end fox hunting for good

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched a public consultation on Thursday 26 March 2026 to finally ban trail hunting. This move aims to close legal loopholes which have allowed the illegal persecution of wildlife under a smokescreen for over 20 fucking years.

No more loopholes

The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) welcomed this consultation, but warns that any new law must be watertight. Hunters have used loopholes, such as following trails during hunting as a cover for illegal activity. Huntsman claim to lay false trails to follow. Yet most of the time, this is a lie. Whilst claiming to follow a person-laid scent, the hunt usually just use this to hunt real foxes. And I have seen it with my own eyes. Men on quadbikes claim to lay the trail behind them, a barefaced fucking lie. The diesel fumes would cover these within an instant if it was true.

A press spokesperson for the HSA stated that using trail hunting as a smokescreen is part of the ‘illegal persecution of wildlife’. They emphasised that the public must help ensure the updated act has no further exemptions ripe for exploitation.

The police (who strangely never appear on scene when actual illegal hunting occurs) have also raised concerns about the current law. Matt Longman, the national police lead for fox hunting, has previously stated that illegal activity is frequently disguised using trail hunting methods. This consultation will explore how to prevent animal-based scents from being used as an excuse for the hounds to ‘accidentally’ find and rip apart a live fox.

The HSA needs our help

Public opinion both in the city and in the country, remains firmly against these blood-thirsty sports. Just a few weeks ago the HSA filmed a pack of hounds shredding a fox in someone’s garden. There was damage to a fence, as well as trespassing from the local hunt who didn’t have permission to be on the property. By the way, trail hunting often leads to such trespasses and chaos as seen here. But, desperate to hide their poor, fuzzy victim, they entered anyway and manhandled a sab in the process.

81% of people living in rural areas are sick to death of this entitled bullshit from the hunt. They are sick of their property being damaged, of hounds running rampant and causing accidents. On top of this, a whopping 85% of the population believes fox hunting should remain illegal. Remember, tell your parents/nana that Nigel Farage is a big fan of the hunt, kids! Yet, on the other hand, the hunt claims that hunting is a necessary part of country life—bullshit.

It is nothing but an excuse for these inbred wankers to get out their weird bloodlust, with trail hunting used as a justification for continuing their cruel activities.

The HSA has used direct action for the last 60 years. They have come away with broken bones, knife wounds and so much more over those years, just to save animals from pointless deaths. And they are now urging supporters to engage with the legal process. In short, they need our help to get over this last hurdle and end fox hunting once and for all. The organisation plans to release guidance to help people complete the consultation before 18 June 2026. This follows a petition signed by over 100,000 people asking for a total ban, further highlighting the public’s opposition to trail hunting.

A better world for wildlife

This consultation is a part of a wider shift towards stronger protections for wildlife in the UK. Along with the hunting of trails being banned, the government is looking to end the use of snares and puppy smuggling. How the hell that wasn’t already a thing is beyond me. For activist, this could be the end of a 20-year fight to save lives.

The question is, does the government have the balls to end fox hunting once and for all? Will it uphold the will of the majority? Or will it fold to the will of a bunch of arseholes on horseback?

Please help us, and have your say here.

Featured image via Unsplash/the Canary