Protect the Wild is calling on rural voices to speak out and tell their stories.
In 2004, the Hunting Act was passed with one clear aim: to end the cruel and chaotic practice of hunting wild mammals with dogs. But two decades on, that promise remains broken.
Our new report, Rural People VS Hunting, will lay bare what has been ignored for too long: that hunting never truly ended. It simply changed its disguise. And it is rural people—farmers, landowners and families—who are still living with the consequences.
Hunting today is not seen by many as a proud countryside tradition. It is experienced as a source of fear, harm, trespass, and intimidation. Pets are mauled in gardens. Livestock is scattered and traumatised. Hounds rampage through school fields, graveyards, and private homes. Families are threatened and abused.
And yet, rural people—the very communities the law was meant to protect—are too often ignored and sidelined.
We Want to Hear From You
Our new report will share the deeply personal testimonies of rural residents who have experienced hunt havoc firsthand. But we know there are still hundreds, if not thousands, of stories left untold.
That’s where you come in.
Have you ever experienced:
- Hounds entering your garden or private land?
- Pets injured, traumatised, or killed during a hunt?
- Livestock chased, scattered, or harmed?
- Hunts invading schools, graveyards, roads, or nature reserves?
- Threats, abuse, or intimidation from hunt followers?
- Feeling powerless or silenced in your own community?
Then you are not alone.
And your experience matters. So does your voice.
However You Feel Comfortable, We’re Here to Listen
Whether your story is from last week or twenty years ago, we want to hear it.
Whether or not it was reported. Whether or not it made the news.
Whether you have evidence to share or just the memory of a moment that has never left you.
If you do have photos, footage, or supporting details and are comfortable sharing them, that’s incredibly valuable. But if not, your words are enough. Every story helps build the case for change.
You can remain completely anonymous. We will never share anything without your clear permission. This process is designed to support you, and to restore power to the people who have been so often ignored.
Get in Touch On Your Terms
You can:
- Email us confidentially at rural@protectthewild.org.uk
A member of our team will respond for a no-pressure, informal conversation. You’ll decide what happens next. Whether you just want someone to listen, or you’d like your story to be part of the growing record we will support you, every step of the way.
This Is About Justice, Not Just Wildlife
The Hunting Act was supposed to protect both animals and rural communities.
But for many, what remains is not tradition—it’s fear, stress, and a sense of being abandoned by the law.
Your story could be the one that shifts the public conversation. That challenges a narrative still dominated by power and privilege. That tells the truth about life in the countryside today.
So please, however you are able, however much or little you want to share, speak to us.
Because rural people deserve more than silence.
They deserve dignity. They deserve protection. They deserve justice.
