At a Glance Guide

Hunting (Amendment) Bill - At a Glance Guide

6Priority	Current Omission	Current Effect	Necessary Solution
1	No 'reckless' clause	Hunts can send their dogs into areas where they know or ought to know wild mammals will be found but avoid attempts at prosecution by claiming any resulting offences were 'accidents'	Add a 'reckless' clause ie. make it an offence to ‘cause or permit a dog(s) to chase, attack, injure or kill a wild mammal’ during the course of a simulated hunt using dogs
2	No limit on the number of dogs that can be used to flush wild animals to a bird of prey	Fox hunters can enter a whole pack of hounds into a wood or covert, an essential part of cub hunting, but avoid attempts at prosecution by claiming to be flushing to a bird of prey	Restrict the number of dogs to two
3	No limit on the number of dogs which can be used to retrieve an injured hare	Hare hunters can allow an entire pack of beagles/hounds to chase/hunt a hare but avoid attempts at prosecution by claiming they were retrieving an injured hare	Restrict the number of dogs to two
4	No ‘Code of Conduct’  to restrict activities of terrier men who accompany hunts	Terrier men hide behind the ‘gamekeeper’s exemption’ when found digging to foxes which have gone to earth during hunts where full packs of hounds are in use	The Secretary of State to issue a ‘Code of Conduct’ to clarify that terrier-work cannot be used in conjunction with any sport involving the use of more than two dogs
5	No limit on the number of dogs which can be used to hunt rats and rabbits	Mink/Hare hunters can allow an entire pack of beagles/hounds to chase/hunt a mink/hare but avoid attempts at prosecution by claiming they were hunting rats and rabbits	Restrict the number of dogs to two
	No limit on the number of dogs which can be used to hunt rats and rabbits	Mink/Hare hunters can allow an entire pack of beagles/hounds to chase/hunt a mink/hare but avoid attempts at prosecution by claiming they were hunting rats and rabbits	Restrict the number of dogs to two

Summary of Amendments in Order of Priority

1	Hunting (Amendment) Bill para 1 to create an offence of reckless use of dogs.
2	Hunting (Amendment) Bill para 2 to amend section 6 of the Act to restrict to two the number of dogs involved in flushing wild mammals for the purpose of falconry.
3	Hunting (Amendment) Bill para 2 to amend section 5 of the Act to restrict to two the number of dogs involved in retrieving a shot hare.
4	The Secretary of State to issue a ‘code of practice’ under the Hunting Act 2004, Schedule 1, section 2 (5) (e) to the effect that the exemption that permits the ‘Use of a dog below ground to protect birds for shooting’ may be used either in isolation, or in conjunction with Schedule 1 para 1(Stalking & flushing out), but cannot be used in conjunction with any sport involving the use of more than two dogs.
5	Hunting (Amendment) Bill para 2 to amend section 3 and 4 to restrict to two the number of dogs involved in hunting rats or rabbits.