LACS seeks to end legal fox control by Scottish packs

The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) has been criticised for attacking legal fox control measures. 

Following the passing of the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act in 2023, it became illegal to hunt foxes above ground with more than two hounds, unless there was a clear licensable reason, such as the protection of livestock, or the contribution towards a long-term environmental benefit. 

LACS has called for mounted hunts to be “explicitly excluded” from licensed — and therefore legal — fox control using dogs. These licences, for the legal use of more than two dogs for controlling fox populations, are approved by Scotland’s nature agency, NatureScot, which has granted 41 licences based on these strict criteria. One recipient of a licence has been identified as a dog handler who works for the Lauderdale Hunt in the Scottish Borders. The hunt has received a compliance monitoring visit with no wrongdoing reported. 

LACS wrote to Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, accusing hunts of exploiting loopholes in the Act and called for a dramatic increase in compliance visits to licence holders, as well as a total ban on hunting with hounds. 

Galloway farmer Patrick Laurie told Shooting Times: “Noisy campaigns like this fail to understand the issues they’re engaging with. Conflating animal welfare with class warfare and blaming ‘toffs’ for exploiting loopholes in welfare legislation undermines serious, rational and even-handed conversations about the need to control fox numbers to protect livestock and support scientifically proven conservation measures for rare and endangered birds. 

“If the League Against Cruel Sports’ demands are met, it will reinforce a feeling that funding ignores science and ecological priorities — it just goes to whoever yells loudest.” 

Farmer and keen hunt follower Patrick Leigh- Pemberton added: “I cannot understand why the League Against Cruel Sports keeps referring to this as using a loophole. These licences were designed specifically to allow groups of dogs to be used in the control of foxes where this is the most appropriate and humane method. 

“The fact that NatureScot felt that on 41 occasions this was the case supports the argument that those involved in fieldsports have long been making, that hunting with dogs is a useful, humane and appropriate tool for controlling populations of certain wildlife in the British countryside. 

“This is not using a loophole; the use of these licences shows members of the hunting community engaging with and following the new law.”