'Together' Campaign Calls For MLAs To Support Ban On Hunting With Dogs

The Together Campaign, comprised of the League Against Cruel Sports (The League) and Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), have welcomed the continued progress of a Private Members Bill (PMB) to ban hunting with dogs, with Stage 2 of the PMB to be held on Tuesday 26 May, and called on MLAs to continue to support this legislation. 

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 Stage 2 of the PMB, Robbie Marsland from The League said, 

“We welcome the introduction of the PMB and look forward to supporting the Bill as it progresses through the Assembly.  It is 20 years since the Hunting Act was introduced to ban fox hunting in England and Wales, with Scotland recently taking steps to improve its legislation.  

There have been claims made that this legislation will criminalise dog walkers, will impact on a farmers ability to shoot predators and affect other practices such as deer stalking. All of these are false claims and are not contained within the legislation. 

Northern Ireland now has an important opportunity to end this suffering. Chasing and killing mammals with dogs has no place in today’s society and it’s time for change.  Supporting this PMB is a real opportunity for MLAs to finally end this wanton cruelty once and for all.”   

USPCA Chief Executive Heather Weir said: 

“Since the launch of our Together Campaign, we have taken our message to ban hunting with dogs to politicians supported by the public. The wanton cruelty of the killing of domestic animals by hunts only makes the chase for change even stronger. Our online petition has received more than 11,000 signatures and is growing daily.  

Public opinion is on our side with polling indicating 70% of the public support for a ban in Northern Ireland. Now is the time for MLAs to come together, support this legislation and bring an end to this wanton cruelty which the public don’t want to see. 

We have been engaging with the political parties throughout our campaign and look forward to continuing discussions with MLAs as the PMB progresses through the NI Assembly. We are calling on everyone interested in ending this wanton cruelty to animals to contact their MLAs, make your voice heard to ensure that our elected representatives do what is right by voting for this historic legislation.”