The Northern Ireland Assembly has voted against a bill that would have made hunting with dogs illegal in line with the rest of the UK, leaving animal protection campaigners “staggered”.

Hunting with dogs - including fox hunting with hounds - has been illegal in much of the UK with the passing of Scotland’s Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act in 2002 and the Hunting Act in England and Wales two years later. 

But nearly two decades on and fox hunting is still permitted in Northern Ireland where neither Act applies, making the barbaric bloodsport and others like it still legal in one part of the nation.

Sadly, this seems set to continue following the news that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) at Stormont this week voted against a ban on hunting with dogs.

Sinn Féin, which holds a joint majority of seats with the DUP to form the country’s coalition government, voted against the Private Members’ Bill. But DUP MLAs were granted a free vote allowing some the option to support the ban and others to reject it, resulting in a defeat of 45 to 38.

Brendan Mullan, Chief Executive of the USPCA, said: “We are very disappointed with the outcome of the debate on the Hunting Bill in the Assembly this afternoon. This result is contrary to the views of the public as outlined in the consultation response and in previous public opinion polls.

“Hunting wild mammals with dogs is sadistic and cruel and has no place in an advanced and compassionate society. We are staggered that half of our political representatives do not hold this view and encourage members of the public to reflect on whether their views have been appropriately represented on this issue.”

The vote leaves the Bill dead in the water and blocks its progression to the committee stage. Among those sure to be celebrating the news is the Countryside Alliance, champions of hunting and other bloodsports masquerading as traditional countryside pursuits.

Just as in the rest of the UK, the Countryside Alliance seeks to protect what it considers a traditional way of life, but is really just protecting the money that hunting, gamekeeping and culling in the name of conservation and “pest control” generate for its affluent members. They are however tragically out of step with the public, with the vast majority against fox hunting as little more than the grim pursuit of bloodthirsty elites with absolutely nothing to do with conservation and everything to do with lining the pockets of huntsmen, terriermen and other hunt cronies.

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But even if the Northern Ireland Bill had been voted through, would it have helped the animals cruelly targeted by such hunts? In England, the Hunting Act has given rise to relatively few prosecutions and even fewer convictions of those guilty of hunting foxes and other animals with dogs. Many illicit hunts, taking place under the smokescreen of being trail hunts, reportedly have powerful patrons with connections to local law enforcement and the judiciary, including serving magistrates and police chiefs.

Police are said to regularly turn a blind eye to illegal hunts even when attending, according to the experience of countless hunt saboteur groups across the UK who take to the field every weekend to disrupt and save the lives of foxes and other targeted animals.

Even fox hunting’s leading bodies can’t be relied upon to follow the word of law. In October this year, Mark Hankinson, the director of the Masters of the Foxhounds Association (MFHA), was found guilty of encouraging others to commit crimes in relation to the Hunting Act, following comments he made in two webinars to more than 100 MFHA members.

This was a significant but all too rare win for those who work tirelessly to fight against fox hunting and other bloodsports. Somewhat ironically, for all the hours footage of illegal hunts that hunt sabs and monitors obtain every weekend, it was Hankinson’s carelessness and naivety when it comes to online security that resulted in his self-incrimination and a somewhat measly fine of £1,000 plus £2,500 in court costs.

However, the damage to hunting’s reputation has been done and trail hunting - the apparent legal practice of laying a scent trail for hounds to follow thereby simulating a fox chase - has been revealed to be nothing but a tactic to enable actual hunting.

As for Northern Ireland, with the Bill having been set back they are years away from having to deal with hunting groups’ tricks and loopholes. Without a ban in place, hunt sabs in Northern Ireland will have to continue to foil fox hunts without the additional remit of gathering evidence for prosecutions. 

But while the law may not be on their side, the public certainly is as shown by the largest consultation response in Stormont’s history.

“As everybody will know the bill that was supported by over 85% of the population here in NI has fallen just short earlier today,” said Huntsabs NI on Twitter. “Not to worry we will continue sabbing these hunts as legality is not morality. The time for talking for the moment is over. Join us and help stop it.”

Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager for Surge.

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