‘SMOKESCREEN SATURDAY’: the sham that is ‘national trail hunting day’

The hunting industry’s Big Day is approaching: the moment when it desperately tries to convince the Labour government that it isn’t breaking the law – despite 20 years of evidence showing otherwise. The National Trail Hunting Day – dubbed ‘Smokescreen Saturday’ by hunt saboteurs and monitors – will take place on 14 September. The British […]

DENIED: Council rejects Boxing Day parade for Dunston Harriers

Dunston harriers

Wymondham Town Council in Norfolk has rejected a request from the Dunston Harriers to hold a Boxing Day parade in the town centre this year. Councillors cited various reasons for the decision, including public opposition, damage to the town’s image, and health and safety concerns. The overwhelming feeling amongst those present – councillors and members […]

SURVEY: Just 18% of public believe trail hunting is NOT a smokescreen

A new survey taken earlier this month has revealed that only 18% of the public believes that trail hunting is NOT a smokescreen to get around the ban on hunting wild animals with dogs. The majority of the public also believes there must be stronger legislation to protect wildlife. The poll, carried out by Survation […]

Chris Packham needs your help to get trail hunting banned

Chris Packham is calling on the public to raise a voice for nature by urging the Labour government to ban trail hunting. This is a type of hunting that is meant to serve as an alternative to chasing and killing wild animals. But as the wildlife TV presenter and conservationist points out, there is ample evidence […]

Labour vows to ban hunting with dogs

Labour has vowed that it will properly ban hunting with dogs if it gets into power. Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed stated: “People have seen the images of packs of hounds getting into private back gardens, killing cats, ripping flocks apart. There’s not a majority in any part of the country that wants to see […]

National Trust: failure to enforce ban emboldening hunts

The Wynnstay Hunt comes out of National Trust land

The National Trust (NT) banned so-called trail hunting back in October 2021, after a hard-fought battle by members and campaigners who took a motion to the Trust’s AGM in Harrogate. But more than three years later hunts continue to trespass on its estates. Protect the Wild takes a look at the charity’s inaction as wildlife […]

How hunts are using trail hunting as a smokescreen

Waveney & Norfolk Harriers

We all know that hunts across the country deliberately chase animals. You may also know that hunts say that they are trail hunting – that is, following scent trails laid in advance of a hunt – when they are doing no such thing. But 2023 saw a new trend: some hunts actually started laying trails. […]

Restore Trust and Countryside Alliance aim to take control of National Trust Board

Lobby groups ‘Restore Trust’ and the Countryside Alliance (CA) have seemingly joined forces to once again try to take over the Board of Trustees of the National Trust. Emails are being sent out listing five people the lobbyists would like members to vote for: Philip Gibbs, Andrew Gimson, Violet Manners, Philip Merricks, and Jonathon Sumption. […]

What is the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show trying to hide?

Protect the Wild is campaigning with Action Against Foxhunting to ask ‘What is the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show trying to hide?’   GO TO LETTER Held at the The Turnpike Showground the annual Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show typically welcomes over 20,000 visitors. Some of them will be amongst the 85% of people who regularly tell […]

MoD respond to petition calling for end of hunting licences

Protect the Wild recently launched a campaign to ban so-called ‘trail hunting’ on Ministry of Defence (MoD) land, part of our wider determination to end hunting with dogs permanently and achieve a Proper Ban on Hunting. While most major landowners have seen through the ‘smokescreen’ of ‘trail hunting’, the MoD is still issuing licences that […]