Hunting News Update – Good news for stags as ‘season’ finally draws to a close
There is just over six weeks to fill out the government consultation on ‘trail hunting’, which closes on 18 June. Protect the Wild has published guidance for people submitting their answers. Make sure you have your say! As the stag hunting ‘season’ draws to a close we are planning to wind down these regular hunting […]
We Didn’t Win the Election – But We Changed the Conversation
Yesterday, we lost the election. But we won the moment. Because as millions of eyes across the country watched the results being announced, they saw a massive Gannet seabird on stage, unfurling a placard that read “END THE GUGA HUNT.” A few months ago, the idea sounded ridiculous. Run for the Scottish Parliament dressed as […]
Polar Bears International: Still refusing further protection for polar bears
Protect the Wild recently published an exposé of international conservation charity Polar Bears International (PBI). Our supporters have already sent more than 6000 messages to PBI calling for them to adopt a firm stance against the international trade in polar bear furs, skins and body parts, and take a stand against trophy hunting. So far, […]
Convicted fox hunter leaves court saying “I’m going hunting now.”
On Monday 20 April, huntsman Wayne Greggory of Somerset’s Vale of Taunton & Banwell Harriers was convicted of an offence under the Hunting Act 2004 after Somerset Sabs filmed the Hunt chasing a fox last November. The conviction of Greggory comes just a month after Nathan Goulding and Toby Flemming were found guilty of assaults against […]
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, […]
GOOD NEWS! for the campaign to end the Guga hunt
Today, the Scottish Parliament ensured this petition will carry forward – and with it, a real chance to change the law. Today, MSPs made an important decision. They unanimously decided to keep Rachel Bigsby’s petition to end the Guga hunt open and carry it forward to the next Parliament. Here’s why this matters. The current […]
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 […]
This might be the biggest news for animals in years
For more than a decade, I have dedicated my life to protecting animals. I have stood on the streets at demonstrations. I have lobbied online. I have spoken to camera when cruelty was ignored. I have grown Protect the Wild from a small idea into a team working every day through investigations, journalism, campaigning and […]
Gannets: The hunters don’t want you to see this letter…
You’re about to read something the Guga hunters never expected the public to see. They thought it would stay private. They were wrong. The Guga hunt – the annual killing of Gannet seabird chicks on the Scottish island of Sula Sgeir – was written into law in the 1950s when wild birds were given legal […]
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 […]
GUILTY: Pipewell Foot Beagles court report
Planned for three days, the trial of the Pipewell Foot Beagles and two of its members ended dramatically less than an hour into day two after the huntsman changed his plea. Philip Saunders, huntsman for the Pipewell Beagles, admitted breaking Section 1 of the Hunting Act after encouraging hounds to kill a hare. He was […]
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 […]
Boxing Day: Bad for Business
Another Christmas holiday, another Boxing Day hunt. What was once the most significant high day in the hunting calendar is today a PR exercise for the hunting industry to convince their supporters that everything is going to be all right. The government issued its Animal Welfare Strategy on 22 December 2025. This laid out a […]
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 […]
Badger business: Protect the Wild’s first round-up of badger-related news
Protect the Wild began writing regular round-ups showcasing the latest news in the struggle against fox hunting earlier this year. Moving forward, we will be producing similar periodic digests on the badger cull and other news related to this treasured yet persecuted species. Here is the Autumn round-up for all you badger lovers! In this […]
Death by a thousand failures – What DEFRA’s governance means for wildlife
Protect the Wild has released a new report about the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) governance of the farming sector – and how it is failing to protect wildlife. Here’s why we wrote it. For years now, Protect the Wild has vigorously campaigned against the badger cull. It’s clear to us that […]
Add your signature to protect wildlife from catapults
A petition, demanding a change of law to protect wildlife from catapult attacks, needs your signature. Launched by Christopher Smith of Greenwich Wildlife Network, the petition calls for new legislation, making it an offence to carry a catapult in public without a licence. The petition has gained more than 12,000 signatures in less than a […]
More than £1m in taxpayer-funded farming subsidies handed over to hunts
New research carried out by Grantham Against Blood Sports and Protect the Wild has revealed that more than £1m in farming subsidies have been handed out to hunts since 2000. In some cases, these subsidies have represented a notable proportion of a hunt’s profits. And these payments have continued despite convictions for illegal hunting. Analysis […]
Exposed: How hunts are benfitting from taxpayer money to continue their activities
Protect the Wild has worked alongside Grantham Against Bloodsports to uncover how much hunts are benefitting from taxpayer money. The evidence is staggering, and reveals just how reliant the hunting industry is on government handouts. Yet this is likely only a fraction of the true figure. Grantham Against Bloodsports approached Protect the Wild with a […]
Hunts have claimed nearly £1.5m in support from councils across England
Analysis of business rate relief records by Grantham Against Bloodsports (GAB) and Protect the Wild has revealed the extent to which taxpayers are supporting hunts, some of which have had members convicted of illegal hunting. A total of 35 hunts have claimed £958,564.54 in rate relief from 22 councils over the last two decades. There […]
Blood Money: How public bodies fund wildlife killing
Protect the Wild is sick of waiting for our incompetent government to protect the UK’s wildlife. We’re done with empty promises that were apparently only made to win votes. It’s time for real change, so we’re launching a new campaign focused on delivering tangible, concrete results. We will target a sector that has been largely […]
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. […]
How a Drone Is Helping Protect Wildlife from Hunts in the Moors
Two years ago we launched “The Protect the Wild Equipment Fund’, saying that it would provide equipment to individuals or groups who are working as ‘eyes in the field’ to tackle wildlife crime and protect wildlife. Our first purchase was radios for the excellent Cheshire Borderland Monitors, who wrote in a blog for us that […]
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 […]
The Post Office Scandal of Wildlife: Badger Cull Exposed as a Catastrophic Mistake
The badger cull strategy, based on the results of the 1998 – 2005 Randomised Badger Control Trial (RBCT), put the wheels in motion for the widespread killing of badgers that has occurred over the last decade. Pushed by Defra and the NFU as the best way to control Bovine TB – a disease now widely […]
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 […]
Hen Harrier Southern Reintroduction project dumped
“Following a thorough review, it has become clear that Natural England is no longer in a position to provide the long-term funding and resource needed to continue delivering the Hen Harrier Southern Reintroduction project, despite the progress to date. The difficult decision has therefore been made to conclude this project.” With this pitiable ‘poverty-pleading’ disclaimer […]
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 […]
Big Butterfly Count: ‘broadly average’ and ‘urgent measures needed’.
As the charity Butterfly Conservation(BC) puts it starkly on their website, “Following the results of the Big Butterfly Count 2024, Butterfly Conservation have declared a butterfly emergency, and we need your help more than ever before. By taking part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count – a UK wide survey, you can help assess the […]
Emma Reynolds MP: business lobbyist now in charge of nature
Keir Starmer has reshuffled his cabinet following the resignation of deputy leader Angela Rayner. For the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the shake-up has delivered a new secretary. What will this mean for wildlife? Rayner stepped down from her roles as deputy prime minister, deputy Labour leader, and housing secretary, on 5 September. […]
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 […]
Today is the day I walk 24 hours straight for British wildlife
So it’s the 1st of September, usually on the first of each month we run our £1 donation day where we ask supporters to donate a pound to keep us ticking over. But today is a little different. Right now I am stood opposite Parliament (photo taken just now!) about to take on a pretty […]
BASC raffling ducks and geese on National Nature Reserve
If anything sums up the disgraceful ‘normalisation’ of killing birds in England, it’s surely the ‘raffle’ that shooting lobbyists BASC (the British Association of Shooting and Conservation) are holding to “win two days’ guided wildfowling for you and a friend at Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve.” BASC notes in its sickening promotion that “Lindisfarne is renowned […]
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 […]
NatureScot licences slaughter of Gannet chicks
To widespread condemnation, NatureScot – Scotland’s nature agency that (supposedly) works “to improve our natural environment in Scotland and inspire everyone to care more about it” – has once again licensed the killing of young, pre-fledged Northern Gannets – known locally as ‘guga’ – on Sula Sgeir, a remote and uninhabited island north of the […]