A Newry-based animal welfare charity has joined with The League Against Cruel Sports (The League) in an attempt to bring an end to Northern Ireland’s traditional Boxing Day hunts.
The Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) together with The League are calling for 2024 to be the final year of the practice.
The motion would see an end brought to hunts such as those typically held in Killylea, Co. Armagh, Moy, Co. Tyrone and Sheepsbridge, Newry, Co. Down.
Already illegal in England, Wales and Scotland, Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where it’s still legal to hunt mammals for sport.
Speaking ahead of the annual Boxing Day hunt, USPCA Chief Executive Nora Smith said: “Each year across Northern Ireland there is an annual display of wanton animal cruelty, with participants chasing foxes through fields and beyond. The impact this has upon these helpless animals, who are chased, must be something which is confined to the history books.
“USPCA joined Together with the League Against Cruel Sports in March to ban hunting with dogs. Our polling has shown that over 70% of people across all age groups and all parts of Northern Ireland want this terrible form of animal cruelty to end.
“Since the launch of our Together Campaign, we have taken our message to ban hunting with dogs to politicians supported by the public. Our online petition has received almost 8,000 signatures and is growing daily.
“We are encouraged by the support for our message and look forward to the proposed Private Members Bill in the NI Assembly.”
Robbie Marsland from the League said: “It is 20 years since the Hunting Act was introduced to ban fox hunting in England and Wales, with Scotland recently taking steps to strengthen and improve their legislation. Northern Ireland has an opportunity to end this suffering.
“Chasing and killing mammals with dogs has no place in today’s society. We are asking everyone to ask their local politicians to support this Bill. Please let them know that the cruel and wanton killing of wild animals must end.
“Most people we speak to think that hunting with dogs is already illegal in Northern Ireland – now’s the time to make that a reality.
“We’ve had really encouraging conversations with many MLAs, political parties and members of the public, and we are optimistic that there will be a majority in support of the Bill when it comes before the Assembly.
“Together we can make this the last annual Boxing Day of animal cruelty.”
A Private Members’ Bill to ban the practice is in motion and the public consultation will remain open until January 13.
Respond to the public consultation here https://buff.ly/4eTUNUA
