Hunting news update – Three foxhunters charged and more
Labour has finally begun its consultation on banning ‘trail hunting’, almost a year after it initially announced it. Protect the Wild has published guidance for people submitting their answers. While the consultation is going on, the government has been busy going back on its other animal welfare policies. Labour is set to backpedal on its […]
EXPOSED: ‘Polar Bear Protection’ Charity Backs Killing Them
Polar Bears are well known and much beloved animals. I bet not many of Protect the Wild’s readers have seen one in real life, but we have watched the wildlife documentaries, seen photos. Many children are familiar with what a polar bear cub looks like. What else do we know about them? Well, they’re threatened […]
Arrested for holding a placard: An interview with Saule and Jack from Camp Beagle
On 24 February animal defenders Saule and Jack were arrested at Camp Beagle, a protest camp against the MBR Acres beagle breeding facility in Huntingdon. They weren’t charged, but were given police bail conditions not to return to the protests. MBR – or MarshallBioResources – supplies 2000 beagles a year to the animal testing industry, […]
Hunting Update – Two hunters found guilty of assaults on sabs and more
February 2026 saw several hunt members convicted for violence against wildlife and wildlife defenders alike. Meanwhile – as we wait for the Labour government to make good on its promise to ban the facade of ‘trail hunting’ – UK hunts have recently been caught on camera killing hares, foxes and deer. As usual, their actions […]
King Charles’ new ‘Finding Harmony’ documentary is deeply hypocritical. Here’s why
‘Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision’ is a glossy vanity project aimed at establishing King Charles’ legacy as a supposed defender of the natural world. Charles’ puff-piece, which didn’t even make it onto the BBC, has been consigned to fester on billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Prime platform next to the dismal ‘documentary’ Melania, about Melania Trump. […]
Labour and ‘trail hunting’: promises but still no ban.
Labour has been promising to tighten up the loopholes in the Hunting Act for years. In June 2024 the Labour Manifesto pledged to ban ‘trail hunting‘, but the killing still goes on. In January 2026 alone, Protect the Wild reported that at least four hunt packs were filmed ripping foxes and killing a hare on […]
Hunting News: While politicians argue about ‘trail hunting’ the killing goes on
January was a bad month for hunting. On 5 January, Emma Reynolds, MP for Wycombe and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – together with Baroness Heyman of Ullock – formally introduced the government’s new Animal Welfare strategy to parliament, which included a commitment to finally introducing a ban on trail hunting […]
Few convictions means no illegal hunting? Ten cases that illustrate why that’s not true.
Since the publication of Labour’s animal welfare strategy just before Christmas, there has been ever more desperate pushback from pro-hunt lobbyists like the British Hound Sports Association, the Countryside Alliance and pro-hunt MPs in the UK parliament (overwhelmingly from the ranks of the Conservatives and the far-right Reform UK). The 07 January parliamentary debate on […]
SHAMEFUL! Newry Hunt kill cat in private garden
On 30 December Chloe, a dog groomer from Rathfriland, County Down, found the lifeless body of her companion animal, Rodney the cat, behind a wall close to her house. When she watched footage from a camera installed at her home, she saw what had happened: the Newry Hunt’s out-of-control hounds had entered Chloe’s property and […]
Tory MP’s opinion poll not worth the paper it’s written on
Stuart Anderson, Tory MP for South Shropshire, has released an opinion poll on the Labour government’s plans to enact a stronger ban on trail hunting. Both Anderson’s poll and his statements at the recent parliamentary debate on rural communities are questionable to say the least. Anderson, whose share of the vote in 2024 was down […]
GOOD NEWS: 2026 is looking bleak for fox hunters
As 2025 draws to a close, the coming year is looking bleak for supporters of hunting with hounds. Baroness Hayman of Ullock, the Minister for Animal Welfare, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the ban on ‘trail hunting’. Labour has released its new animal welfare policy, which sets out its intention to prioritise implementing […]
Wildlife defenders are planning protests across the UK against Boxing Day Hunts
As communities across the UK brace themselves for the annual display of pro-hunt Boxing Day carnage, many wildlife defenders are organising to resist. Protect the Wild has put together a handy list of the protests and events taking place to stick up for our wildlife. This list is a work in progress, so get in […]
Tiverton Council says hunt meets are not welcome and more
In this mid-December fox hunting update, the UK’s animal rights community is bracing itself for an intensified fight in 2026. Labour is promising that the long-awaited public consultation on hunting will take place early in the New Year. We can expect to see a pro-hunt pushback as a result. As the debate on a tightened […]
Forgive us our trespasses? Hunts continue to cause havoc in communities across the UK
In this late November/Early December hunting update fox hunts have been busy terrorising schools and local communities across the UK. Tragically, the Beaufort Hunt was caught on camera killing a fox close to the grounds of Gloucestershire’s Westonbirt School, later that week they hunted a fox through a children’s nursery too. On top of that, […]
New report shows convictions for wildlife crime offences at record low
A report by a coalition of charities reveals that only a tiny fraction of reported wildlife crimes lead to a prosecution and that convictions for offences like badger baiting, hare coursing, illegal trapping, unlawful trade in endangered species and illegal hunting are currently at an all time low. Wildlife and Countryside Link have made a […]
Hunting News Early October: Two beagle packs fold and more
With the so-called ‘season’ for hunting hares in full swing, there’s reason to cheer: two of the UK’s hare hunting beagle packs have announced that they will be folding. In other news: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped the case against a Cottesmore Hunt terrierman despite damning covert footage gathered by Northants Hunt Saboteurs. […]
Red Squirrels threatened by renewable energy project
The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales (WTSWW) has launched a campaign against a planned renewable ‘energy park’ that threatens one of the few remaining Red Squirrel populations in Wales. The Red Squirrels of the Bryn Arau Duon forest are one of only three surviving colonies in the country. Once a common sight in […]
North York Moors National Park – NOT a safe place for wildlife
As we enter another shooting ‘season’, Protect the Wild is publishing a series of articles about the key regions of the UK that attract both tourists who want to enjoy the wildlife and landscape, and hunters and shooters who have an altogether less healthy relationship with the countryside around them. The cubbing season began in […]
Devon and Somerset Staghounds on another killing spree.
On 13 September Devon and Somerset Staghounds (DSSH) once again showed just how ugly the face of stag hunting really is. The hunt separated a young stag from his companions, pursuing him until he was exhausted before killing him with a rifle. Members of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs (NDHS) were on the scene. They commented […]
Mid September hunting news update: Norfolk terrierman convicted of animal cruelty and more
In this mid-September fox hunting news update we report on the conviction of a Norwich based terrierman for not providing medical care to a Patterdale terrier under his care. In addition: On 26 February hunt monitor Chantelle Leach was assaulted by a hunt supporter. We reported at the time that Essex Police treated her case […]
Media outrage over catapults but no condemnation of bird shooting
A 21-year old man in Sevenoaks, Kent has been arrested after videos surfaced of him apparently killing birds with a catapult. This is just the latest in a spate of arrests in Kent and London for animal cruelty with catapults and other makeshift weapons. Police seized 21 catapults during the arrest. The man has since […]
September hunting news: Cattistock caught red-handed and more
In this early September hunting news update the shameful practice of cubbing, the cruel killing of young foxes to train hunting dogs, is in full swing, a harrier pack leaves the BHS, and the Countryside Alliance offers a ‘reward’ for hunting. – The notorious Cattistock hunt brutally killed a fox on the grounds of Lady […]
Dartmoor: one of England’s most hunted and shot-over pieces of real estate.
As the cubbing and hunting ‘season’ starts again in earnest, we are also getting ever closer to the beginning of another few months of gunning down pheasants and partridges. Protect the Wild is looking at key regions of the UK that attract both tourists who want to enjoy the wildlife and landscape and hunters and […]
Normalising wildlife crime at the UK’s Agricultural Shows
The UK’s summer Agricultural Shows are key dates in the calendar for pro-hunting advocates. Hunt groups use the events as a way to normalise their cruel blood sport, with hunt hounds appearing and parading alongside agricultural displays. Many shows, however, are now keeping hunt involvement very quiet for fear of reputational damage. On top of […]
Durrell Trust refuses to engage with members – again
Members of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) have been pressuring the organisation to end its support for pay-to-shoot deer stalking on the Dalnacardoch Estate in the Cairngorms, which the Trust manages. DWCT’s leadership has just “unambiguously refused” to discuss a motion from Trust members calling for the issue to be debated at Durrell’s upcoming […]
Police report alarming rise in hare coursing
Police are reporting that warm weather is contributing to a spike in hare coursing incidents. Hare coursing is a cruel and illegal bloodsport that involves the pursuit of hares with greyhounds as opposed to the harriers, beagles or bassets involved in hare hunting. It has been illegal since the passing of the Hunting Act in […]
Mid August fox hunting update – Cubbing foiled in Devon and more
In this mid-August fox hunting update, hunts around the UK have begun the Summer ‘cubbing season’. Cubbing is the disgraceful practice of hunting and killing young foxes and hares (leverets) to give their new hounds a taste for blood. Our stories this month include: – Sabs and monitors organise to stop cubbing. – Police forces […]
Durrell Trust performs yet another U-Turn on deer stalking
For many months, Protect the Wild has been following the grassroots campaign to stop the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) from allowing pay-to-shoot deer stalking at the estate it manages in the Cairngorms. After initially doubling down on its support for trophy hunting, the Trust subsequently bowed to pressure from its supporters and pledged to […]
Pipewell Foot Beagles huntsman, whipper-in and directors plead not guilty
The whipper-in and huntsman from a Northamptonshire based hare hunt have pleaded not guilty to offences under the Hunting Act 2004. The charges were brought after footage of the Pipewell Foot Beagles (PFB) tearing up a hare went viral earlier this year. Huntsman Philip Anthony Saunders and whipper-in Rachael Victoria Lenton from the PFB both […]
Late July Fox Hunting News Update: Reports of early Cubbing and more
In this packed late July fox hunting news update, reports are coming in that some hunts have started cubbing and levereting (hunting fox cubs and baby hares) early. Meanwhile, wildlife defenders are busy organising against them, through direct action in the fields and via targeted campaigning too. Our stories this time include: – Action Against […]
SUCCESS: Solar farm promises action to release trapped deer
A solar farm appears to have finally taken action to release several deer that have been trapped at its premises since April 10. The company running the farm only reacted after intense pressure from local people, which led to mainstream media coverage over the plight of the deer. Last week the BBC published these images […]
Suspended Labour MP consistent opponent of Planning & Infrastructure Bill
The Labour Party is currently steamrolling through its Planning and Infrastructure (PI) Bill (which will strip away many of the remaining environmental protections from the UK’s precious wild regions). The party recently suspended North East Hertfordshire MP Chris Hinchliff after he dared to oppose the government’s plans. Hinchliff has been a consistent critic of the […]
Beagle packs amalgamate, as hunts struggle across the UK
There’s some rare good news for British wildlife. Two more hunts have been forced to amalgamate, according to the Hunt Saboteurs Association. That makes five mergers already this year. Combined with the closure of Scotland’s Dumfriesshire & Stewarty Hunt that means there will be at least six less hunts overall next season. Sabs have […]
Mid July fox hunting update – Fitzwilliam whipper-in pleads guilty and more
Jacob Whalley, whipper-in of the Fitzwilliam Hunt pleaded guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs on 4 July. His conviction is the latest in an increasingly long line of hunters deciding that the weight of evidence against them meant that they would be fighting a losing battle in court. Whalley has previously been convicted […]
Hunts are still menacing minks and otters across England and Wales
Mink hunting season is underway and sabs and monitors have been busy ensuring that the UK’s remaining mink hunts are unable to reach their prey. Minks are hunted from March all the way through to September, coinciding with their breeding season. Hunts often leave young mink – known as kits – motherless and sure to […]
July fox hunting update: The hypocrisy of pro-hunt puppy shows
As the British countryside breathes a sigh of relief at a short Summer respite from fox hunting (and commercial bird shooting), many hunts are using this time to promote themselves and fundraise for next season. One regular fixture in the pro-hunt calendar are the annual puppy shows and hound shows, where hunting dogs are shown […]
Animal Sentience Committee raises concerns over Labour’s pay-to-trash plans
The British parliament’s new Animal Sentience Committee (ASC) has raised concerns that Labour’s proposed Planning and Infrastructure (PI) Bill will affect animal welfare. Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is obliged to reply to the committee’s findings within three months. The ASC was set up as a result of […]
Mid June fox hunting update: Warwickshire police double-down on campaign of secrecy and more
Warwickshire Police are continuing their campaign of secrecy over their close relationship with the Warwickshire Hunt. They recently refused to disclose correspondence and minutes of meetings between themselves and the Hunt. In other news, Somerset huntsman Guy Landau pleaded guilty to a breach of the Hunting Act at East Huntspill in Somerset in October 2024. Landau’s […]
What’s behind Durrell Trust’s U-turn on deer stalking?
In March 2025 Protect the Wild called-out the Durrell Wildlife and Conservation Trust’s (DWCT) policy of allowing pay-to-shoot deer stalking on the estate it leases in the Cairngorms. After pressure from us, grassroots campaigners and local media the trust has performed a U-turn, announcing that they will end deer-stalking on the Dalnacardoch estate in Perthshire, […]
Five reasons the Planning and Infrastructure bill will be disastrous for British wildlife
Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill aims to allow companies to pay to trash the British countryside. It will do away with existing checks and balances in the planning system and establish a legal framework allowing developers to destroy irreplaceable natural ecosystems. Corporations will pay into a planned Nature Restoration Fund in order to ‘offset’ the […]
Hunting news roundup: 06 June 2025 – hunting charges and convictions over the past month
On 28 May Duncan Cinnamond, huntsman of the Seavington Hunt plead guilty to illegal fox hunting, which is an offence under the Hunting Act 2004. Magistrates in Weymouth ordered him to pay a fine and court costs. Cinnamond’s conviction comes after Two Counties Hunt Saboteurs submitted damning video footage of a fox being ripped apart […]
Supreme Court rejects Dartmoor shooter’s appeal and backs wild campers
The UK Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by bird shooters Alexander and Diana Darwall and upheld the right to wild camp on Dartmoor. The victory comes after a years long fight for the right to roam. Hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall first embarked on a legal battle against Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) in […]
Fox hunting news roundup: 16 May 2025
This mid-May fox hunting news roundup begins with a chilling question: is the Portman Hunt killing tens of healthy hounds every year? We have been shown documents originating from the Portman which show that the Hunt routinely replaces 22% of its hunt pack. So what happens to the discarded dogs? In other news, Dorset Police […]
RSPCA draws attention to attacks on wildlife with catapults, but is media outrage selective?
There has been a significant increase in the number of reported attacks on wildlife with catapults, says the RSPCA. A petition to ban the sale of catapults and ammunition and the carrying of catapults in public places has gathered over 22.5k signatures. Protect the Wild condemns the wanton killing of wildlife with catapults and other […]
Weak response from Forestry England on QSH’s blatant hunting
On Tuesday 22 April Quantock Staghounds (QSH) killed a young stag in the Quantock Hills. The Hunting Act 2004 clearly prohibits the hunting of mammals with dogs, although stag hunters misuse several loopholes in the law to evade this. The chase crossed both National Trust and Forestry England land. Sabs’ reports pointed out that the […]
Fox hunting news roundup: 02 May 2025
As May commences, there’s more bad news for hunting. Monitors and sabs are reporting suspicions that another hunt amalgamation may well be on the way. Meanwhile two men connected to the notorious Cottesmore Hunt have been convicted of violence against hunt saboteurs. One of them received a ban from attending hunt meets. The police and […]
Labour’s new planning bill “will lead to permanent biodiversity loss”
Labour’s new Planning and Infrastructure (PI) Bill will have devastating and long-lasting impacts on British wildlife. Protect the Wild explains why. The announcement of the PI Bill has been a wake-up call for many of Britain’s environmental defenders. The legislation, if passed, will allow developers to destroy natural habitats as long as they pay a […]
Protect the Wild supports new parliamentary petition on sports netting
Protect the Wild is supporting a parliamentary petition by a volunteer from the Fox Project calling for the government to require by law that all sports netting be tied up when not in use, to prevent it accidentally ensnaring wildlife and companion animals. We have often highlighted the number of animals who are seriously injured […]
The Vesteys: a multi-millionaire hunting family
The Vesteys are a wealthy aristocratic family with an empire built on meat, controlling several brands supplying supermarkets and high street retailers. The family – who used to be the UK’s second richest – are ardent supporters of hunting with strong links to the Countryside Alliance. They can be expected to lead the pushback against […]
Fox hunting news roundup Spring 2025
Protect the Wild is planning to write regular digests showcasing the latest news in the struggle against fox hunting. In this Spring 2025 roundup we have the latest on the sentencing of the ex-Essex & Suffolk (ESH) huntsman Sam Staniland; news on the collapse of one Scottish hunt and the amalgamation of several hunts at […]
Trail hunting: government reaffirms support for ban
On April 1st Perran Moon, the Labour MP for Cornwall’s Camborne and Redruth constituency, called on the government to ban so-called trail hunting and made a plea for jail time for hunters who are caught breaking the law. Currently, trail hunting – which supposedly involves hunts laying scent trails for hounds to follow, a scenario […]
‘Friendliest golf course in North London’ kills foxes
There was public outcry in Enfield last week after the Metro ran an expose about Enfield Golf Club – which calls itself the ‘friendliest golf course in North London’ – shooting foxes on their grounds. But, sadly, the culling of foxes and other animals is the norm for businesses in the UK, not an aberration. […]