Quick summary: The UK government has launched a public consultation to prohibit trail hunting in England and Wales, aiming to close legal loopholes that have allowed illegal wild mammal pursuit to continue under the guise of scent following for two decades. By proposing a formal ban on animal based scents, the initiative seeks to safeguard wildlife and domestic pets from harm while ensuring that legitimate activities like drag hunting remain unaffected by the new regulations. This move reflects a shift towards more robust animal welfare standards and responds to the 81% of the population who support stricter enforcement to protect the environment and communal well being from ethically indefensible sporting practices.
Twenty years ago, the UK Government passed the Hunting Act, banning the hunting of deer, foxes, badgers, and hares in England and Wales. Despite considerable opposition from the hunting lobby, the legislation came into force on 18th February 2005. Since then, hunters have exploited a loophole in the Act by using “trail hunting” as cover to continue illegal hunting.
Trail hunting involves laying an animal-based scent trail for hounds to follow, mimicking traditional hunting practices. Evidence of its use as a smokescreen has been documented in films by Protect the Wild, available on YouTube. Animal welfare organisations argue that the practice carries risks of dogs accidentally or deliberately pursuing live wild mammals, leading to injury or death, as well as harm to household pets.
The government has now launched a public consultation titled Consultation on Proposals to Prohibit Trail Hunting in England and Wales, in line with a commitment in the 2024 Labour Party Manifesto. It opened on 26th March 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 18th June 2026.
The consultation seeks views on several key questions
- How trail hunting should be legally defined for the purposes of a ban
- How to ensure the ban does not unintentionally affect legitimate activities such as drag hunting or clean boot hunting, where hounds follow an artificial rather than animal-based scent
- Whether animal-based scent trails should remain lawful for training dogs for specific purposes
- The timing of any ban, and its potential impacts on communities, businesses, and the environment
The government has stated that trail hunting is being used as a smokescreen for illegal hunting with dogs. Enforcement of the Hunting Act has proven challenging due to loopholes and exemptions, with multiple convictions recorded over the past two decades but difficulties in proving intent in many cases.
Animal welfare campaigners, including the RSPCA and the League Against Cruel Sports, have welcomed the consultation as a step toward closing a long-standing gap in protections for wild mammals. Public opinion polls have consistently shown strong support for the existing legislation, with one recent survey indicating 81% of the UK population in favour of the ban. The ethics of hunting for sport are examined in detail in Professor Andrew Linzey’s book Why Animal Suffering Matters, published by Oxford University Press in 2009, which argues on pages 73–96 that hunting for sport is ethically indefensible.
Opponents from rural and hunting communities have expressed concerns about impacts on traditions, businesses, and equestrian activities, with some groups advising supporters to respond carefully to the consultation questions. The government has emphasised that the consultation focuses on implementation rather than reopening the core ban established by the 2004 Act.
How to participate
The consultation is open to the public, landowners, animal welfare groups, hunts, and rural organisations. Responses can be submitted through the following channels
Those with limited time may use a prepared response provided by protect the wild, which offers guidance on key questions and allows quick submission directly to defra.
The consultation runs for 12 weeks and forms part of broader animal welfare commitments, including measures on snares and other practices outlined in the government’s Animal Welfare Strategy. With the 18th June 2026 deadline approaching, campaigners stress the importance of widespread participation to demonstrate public support and embolden ministers to deliver clear, enforceable legislation that prevents trail hunting from undermining the intentions of the Hunting Act.