Hunt master fined after hunting fox on National Trust land
Hunt master fined £600 after failing to call dogs away while illegally fox hunting on National Trust land South Shropshire Hunt master Daniel Cherriman, aged 37, was filmed in November 2021 trespassing and illegally fox hunting on National Trust land in the Long Mynd area of Church Stretton when the hounds he was in charge […]
End fox hunting campaigns
Our work to end fox hunting A Proper Ban on Hunting A Proper Ban on Hunting Learn More Animations Animations Learn More Direct Action Direct Action Learn More Undercover Investigations Undercover Investigations Learn More Major Landowners Major Landowners Learn More
Shocking moment fox cowers on residential roof to escape hunt
In November 2022 shocking images of a terrified fox cowering on the roof of a house emerged on social media. The poor animal had been trying to escape out-of-control foxhounds belonging to the Melbreak Hunt, who had been illegally hunting (according to eyewitness reports) on National Trust owned-land at Whiteside, east of Loweswater. The Melbreak, […]
Fox Protection Survey
Survey on Fox Protection: 2021 Survation Poll backs greater fox protection… A poll conducted by Survation on behalf of Protect the Wild reveals that 63.6% of those surveyed think foxes should be given greater protection in the UK. The question was posed by anti-hunting organisation Protect the Wild in a survey about trail hunting, but […]
Why do people still hunt foxes?
Why do people still hunt foxes? Fox hunting has been taking place for hundreds of years. Hunting with hounds, originated in England in the sixteenth century, and continued in a similar format until February 2005, when the 2004 Hunting Act came into place banning the activity in England and Wales. Hunts today still want the […]
Can I feed foxes in my garden?
Can I feed foxes in my garden? There is nothing in law to stop us from feeding foxes, but it does come with a degree of controversy – trying to balance our wish to ‘help’ while also not having an impact on the fox’s natural behaviour. Feeding foxes can alter that natural behaviour. If they […]
Are foxes part of the dog family?
Are foxes part of the dog family? Lamping is a loose term that covers a number of different activities. However, they all take place at night and they all result in the murder of wildlife in the British countryside. Although male foxes are known as dog foxes, they’re not part of the dog family, but […]
Why are foxes important?
Why are foxes important? Foxes play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are a key predator and help control populations of their prey species, such as rodents and rabbits. Foxes eat most things, including fruit and berries(and by doing so help to disperse seeds, which supports the growth of plant species) but city foxes […]
Are foxes dangerous to humans?
Are foxes dangerous span to humans? Typically, no. Foxes are not dangerous to humans and do not attack humans. However, if a fox is captured or handled then the fox may defend itself and this could result in a human being bitten. There have been occasions where foxes enter homes (for food and/or shelter), if […]
Are foxes dangerous to pets?
Are foxes dangerous to pets? Lamping is a loose term that covers a number of different activities. However, they all take place at night and they all result in the murder of wildlife in the British countryside. It really depends on what pet(s) you have. Foxes are predators of course and get hungry like the […]
Why are foxes so loud at night?
Why are foxes so loud span at night? The noises you hear from foxes at night are just foxes communicating. Barks and screams are used to interact between foxes, and this becomes more common during mating season when the foxes are trying to attract a mate. If you find the noise worse in January, that’s […]
Is the fox population increasing in Britain?
Is the fox population increasing in Britain? Sadly, no! The number of foxes in urban areas is reported to have increased from 33,000 in 1995, to 150,000 in 2017. But despite this, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) survey, reports an overall decline in the species by 40% in the UK between 1995 and 2019. […]
Are foxes vermin?
Are foxes vermin? We’ve all heard and seen the terror stories of the fox – of a vicious predator that attacks our pets and babies, of an urban menace that isn’t to be trusted or approached – but are these stories a fair reflection of this iconic British animal? If the press is to be […]
Is fox hunting a sport?
Is fox hunting a Sport? Lamping is a loose term that covers a number of different activities. However, they all take place at night and they all result in the murder of wildlife in the British countryside. In June 2022 it was announced that a new body would take over the responsibility of governing hunts […]
Is fox hunting illegal?
Is fox hunting illegal? Is fox hunting illegal? Yes. Since the 2004 Hunting Act was passed it has been illegal to intentionally hunt a wild mammal (notably foxes, hare and deer) with dogs. However, there are a number of exemptions to the ban which hunts often use to get around the legislation and avoid prosecution […]
When does fox hunting season begin?
When does the fox hunting season begin? The main fox hunting season usually takes place between the end of October to early April whilst the ‘cubbing’ season (often referred to by hunters as Autumn Hunting) takes place between August and the end of October. This leaves a period of around 3-4 months where hunts are […]
How do I report illegal fox hunting?
How do I report illegal fox hunting? If you see something that you think is a crime you should call the police on 999 (if it still taking place) or 101 if it’s ended or historical. If you have information on a hunt or suspect that a wildlife crime is taking place in a particular […]
How do hunts get away with illegal fox hunting?
How do hunts get away with illegal fox hunting? People on all sides of the hunting industry recognise that the Hunting Act is a problematic and nearly unenforceable law. While hunts make such claims on the premise that in theory it stops them from killing animals, the reality is that the Hunting Act’s wording is […]
Video evidence shows fox hunting by Royal Artillery Hunt
Video evidence shows fox hunting by Royal Artillery Hunt This footage was captured by members of Salisbury Plain Monitors on 30 October 2021. It shows a fox running ahead of Charles Carter, huntsman of the Royal Artillery Hunt (RAH), as Carter blows his horn. The fox then turns into a covert of trees and, […]
Fox facts
Facts about the Red Fox Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes At a glance The Red Fox has the largest natural distribution of any land mammal except human beings. The UK population is around 375,000, perhaps one-third are resident in our towns and cities. Thousands are snared every year to protect pheasants and grouse for shooting. One […]
Adopt a fox cub
ADOPT A FOX CUB TODAY Who doesn’t love an adorable fox cub? Sadly, fox hunts don’t. Did you know that hunts partake in an activity called ‘cubbing? Cubbing usually takes place between August and October, just before the main fox hunting season starts. It’s a disgusting way to train hunting hounds to kill and give […]
Adopt a fox
ADOPT A FOX TODAY It’s been twenty years since the passing of the Hunting Act, but foxes are still the victims of hunts. Chased from their homes, often having to leave their families and young behind, they flee the pursuing hounds until they are finally too exhausted to run anymore. These beautiful animals are killed […]
Fox Hunting FAQs
Fox Hunting FAQs Is fox hunting illegal? Is fox hunting illegal? Learn More Why do people still hunt foxes? Why do people still hunt foxes? Learn More What is trail hunting? What is trail hunting? Learn More When does the fox hunting season begin? When does the fox hunting season begin? Learn More How do […]
Fox hunting
Fox Hunting Whether through the articles we write, pressuring major landowners to stop giving ‘trail hunt’ licences to hunts, giving equipment to frontline monitor groups, or exposing hunts through ground-breaking undercover investigations, we are finding as many ways as possible to shut down the hunts still illegally chasing and killing wild foxes. On this page […]
If foxhunting is banned why does it still take place?
If foxhunting is banned why does it still take place? Fox hunting in England and Wales was banned by Parliament when MPs passed the Hunting Act 2004. More precisely, all hunting of wild mammals with dogs was banned – including foxes. The Act came into force on the 18th of February 2005, so hunts were […]
Terrierwork, terriermen, and the grotesque world of fox hunting
Terrierwork, terriermen, and the grotesque world of fox hunting Schedule 1.2 of the Hunting Act (which bans hunting wild animals with hounds) permits the use of “dogs below ground to protect birds for shooting”. It’s sometimes known as the Gamekeeper Exemption. Its wording allows someone to put a terrier in, for example, a fox earth […]
New body to regulate fox hunts just another smokescreen?
New body set up to regulate fox hunts – just another smokescreen? On 10 June the Hunting Office made an announcement stating that a new representative body, the British Hounds Sports Association (BHSA), will be responsible for the governance of hunts and hunting. A separate regulatory body is being set up, called the Hound Sports […]
Glyndwyr university team will conduct independent review into fox hunting
Police across the UK are renowned for allowing illegal fox and stag hunting to take place. It’s common knowledge to hunt saboteurs that the police ignore the hunting that goes on under their noses, instead turning their attention towards the activists on the ground who are trying save foxes. There’s countless footage all over the […]
Social Media Manager
Job Vacancy: Social Media Manager Position details: Salary: £35,000+ per year (depending on experience) Location: Primarily remote, with occasional events and in-person meetings Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week Contract: Permanent Holidays: 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays Benefits: Pension scheme, flexible hybrid working, training and development opportunities Reports to: Founder About Us Protect […]
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 […]
Moorland Association says ‘Predators rising, Birds disappearing’…but they would, wouldn’t they
The ‘Inglorious 12th’, the start of the grouse shooting season, is just days away. It’s absolutely no coincidence at all, then, that the Moorland Association (MA), the lobby group for grouse shooting estate owners, has published an article which essentially claims that everything they do (in terms of ‘predator control’) is good, and everything the […]
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 […]
Ban children from hunts and shoots
Ban Children from Participating in Hunts and Shoots 0 people have taken action so far. Help us reach 10000 First name Last name Email Phone Subject Letter To: The UK Government and relevant ministers We, the undersigned, call on the UK Government to prohibit the involvement of children under the age of 18 in hunting […]
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 […]
End terrier work petition
End Terrier Work – Close the Loophole That Lets Hunts Keep Killing 0 people have taken action so far. Help us reach 10000 First name Last name Email Phone Subject Letter Dear Secretary of State, I am writing to urge you to take swift and decisive action to uphold the integrity of the Hunting Act […]
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 […]
Hen Harrier chicks fledge “against the odds”
Five Hen Harrier chicks from two different nests have fledged “against the odds”, the RSPB has announced in a press-release. What makes this ‘good news’ report so notable is that the odds stacked up against the chicks were not poor weather, lack of prey items, or Avian Flu, but the deliberate killing of the adult […]
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 […]
‘National Parks’ in name only
Long-term subscribers to the Protect the Wild and End Bird Shooting Substacks may have noticed that we often use lower-case and quotation marks when we write ‘national parks’. We do so because the UK’s parks are a long, long way from being the “protected area of land, recognized for its exceptional natural beauty, diverse wildlife, […]
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 […]
Badger dies overnight in snare on shooting estate
In May, Protect the Wild was contacted by a member of the South Yorkshire Badger Group (SYBG), a small group dedicated to the welfare, conservation, study, monitoring and public awareness of badgers. SYBG contacted us after being sent an email by a member of the public who had come across a badger caught in a […]
Ban Grouse Shooting Debate June 2025
At almost exactly 16:30 on Monday 30 June, the first of a raft of Conservative politicians reading from their BASC briefing sheets, stood up to start a ‘debate’ about banning grouse shooting. The government had already responded to Wild Justice’s petition, saying to the 104,342 of us that had signed it that it “considers that […]
RSPB: Number of Hen Harriers killed or missing reaches new high
A new RSPB report – titled unambiguously Hen Harriers in the firing line – shows record numbers of Hen Harriers being illegally killed or going missing in suspicious circumstances over the past five years, and that the majority of the 102 incidents occurred on or near grouse moors. Hen Harriers are a rare, protected bird […]
Police make rare decision to charge beagle pack with illegal hunting
Northamptonshire Police have brought charges against the Pipewell Foot Beagles after a member of the public caught the hunt chasing and killing a hare. Footage of the incident, which occurred on 25 January 2025, circulated widely on social media, subsequently bringing landowner Boughton Estate into disrepute as well. Amongst Northamptonshire Police’s charges is the rare […]
Scotland: Green MSP calls for end to tax breaks for shooting estates
In a well-aimed TikTok video published just last week, Ross Greer, the Greens MSP for Western Scotland, has called for an end to tax breaks for wealthy shooting estate owners, saying it’s time “they sold their estates to local communities who could use them for the good of people and the planet.” The video points […]
20 years on: The true face of hunting with hounds in 2025
Protect the Wild’s report for the 2024/25 hunting season is its most comprehensive yet, gathering and analysing even more detailed data than previous years. It also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of the Hunting Act. What the former shows is that the latter is still failing to prevent the hunting industry from […]
The Star: Duke of Rutland urged to sell ‘trashed’ grouse moor ‘to people of Sheffield’
“Conservation campaigners are set to bid for a “trashed” grouse moor near Sheffield to “restore it to its former glory.” So starts an article in Sheffield’s The Star, a local paper which Wikipedia says has a very respectable total average issue readership of 105,498. Titled “Sheffield moors: Duke of Rutland urged to sell ‘trashed’ grouse […]
Animal Aid report: Killing Our Countryside
“I don’t believe that you can profess to love nature, the environment or our wildlife and support the shooting of huge numbers of non-native pheasants & partridges, known to some as ‘Gamebirds’.” That’s Chris Packham’s opening paragraph for a Foreword to Animal Aid’s latest report into the shooting industry. Titled Killing Our Countryside, it looks […]
Moscar Moor: a blight on the Peak District
Almost two years ago Protect the Wild joined a group of activists for a walk on Moscar Moor, a knackered grouse moor within a few miles (as the smoke drifts) of Sheffield (see Reclaim Our Moors Walk 2023). In early June, with another group of activists and united under the growing ‘Reclaim Our Moors’ banner, […]
Hunted in plain sight: Footage isn’t enough under a broken law
The Hunt, the Footage, and the Failure of the Law On 28 December 2024, in Sutton Green near Wrexham, the Wynnstay Hunt was being observed by the dedicated Cheshire Hunt Monitors when a chillingly familiar scene unfolded. Whilst in a woodland, the hounds suddenly broke into “cry” — that unmistakable, frenzied howling triggered when they […]
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 […]
Killing Pheasants: King Charles ‘livid’ as royal tradition faces axe
To quote a breathless report in ‘Hello!’, the lightweight glossy for the many people who like to peek from the sidelines at the wealthy, “King Charles is reportedly ‘devastated’ following news that a key royal family tradition could soon be scrapped.” What might that ‘key’ tradition be? Distributing alms? Thanking those around him for ensuring […]