Boxing Day trail hunts take place as ban looms

Boxing Day trail hunts have taken place in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, days after the government announced its plans to ban the sport.

Fox hunting was made illegal 20 years ago, but the government now plans to also ban trail hunting, where hounds follow a pre-laid scent instead of chasing a live animal. The intention is to replicate the pursuit of an animal, without the need to kill.

Laurence Bradley, from the group Hull Wildlife Protectors, which was protesting at the Holderness Hunt, on Beverley Westwood earlier, said he thought the ban was "overdue".

Polly Portwin, from the Countryside Alliance, said the group would "fight tooth and nail" against the proposed law change.

Gerrard Farmer, master of the Holderness Hunt, said: "There are no wild animals that are interfered with whatsoever. We go to great lengths to mitigate any issues that might come in front of us."

He added: "All these people on the horses today, they come out in the countryside to ride the horse and have some fun and socialise and get physical and mental well-being.

"It's a really important feature and it must not be just sideswiped."

Meetings also took place in Lincolnshire, in Coleby and Grange De Lings.

The government announced its pledge to ban trail hunting on Monday as part of a new animal welfare strategy.

Ms Portwin said Countryside Alliance wanted to find a way to "protect those jobs and homes for the hunt staff and protect our packs of hounds".

She added: "We're resilient and we are determined to stay together as a community, which is so important for so many people living across Lincolnshire."

Baroness Hayman, the minister for animal welfare has previously shared concerns that trail hunting is being used as "a smokescreen" for the hunting of wild animals, which she said was "not acceptable".

Mr Bradley agreed and claimed some hunt groups had "carried on as they have previously to the [fox hunting] ban".

Charlotte Smith, co-founder of Hull Wildlife Protectors, said: "For decades, hunts have operated under a smokescreen continuing to kill wildlife.

"With this change, our immediate concern is for the hounds.

"What we want hunts to do is to stop breeding them and to work with reputable rescues to rehome the dogs in their kennels."

The government has not given a time frame for the ban to come into effect, but said it is "committed" to banning the sport and will "set out next steps in due course".

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