The UK government has moved to significantly tighten animal welfare legislation in England by announcing a ban on the shooting of hare for the majority of the year and committing to prohibit trail hunting, a practice long criticised by animal rights groups. The changes, outlined as part of a sweeping new animal welfare strategy, mark a major shift in how wild mammals are protected under English law.
Under the proposed measures, shooting hares will be illegal during a newly established close season that runs from February through October, effectively outlawing the practice during the animals’ breeding period when mothers and young leverets are most vulnerable. At present, hares can legally be shot throughout the year, including when they are pregnant, a loophole that has drawn extensive criticism from conservationists and animal welfare advocates. Brown hare populations in England and Wales have plummeted by around 80 per cent over the past century, a decline that experts link, in part, to unregulated shooting alongside habitat loss and other pressures.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said the reforms reflect a moral duty to protect iconic native wildlife, stressing that it is “simply wrong” for so many hares to be killed during their breeding season. She indicated that establishing the close season is central to halting the species’ decline and safeguarding its future in the English countryside.
In addition to the hare shooting ban, ministers are set to announce a ban on trail hunting, a controversial activity in which packs of hounds follow an artificial scent laid in advance rather than pursuing live animals. While ostensibly legal, trail hunting has frequently ended in live animals, such as foxes, being chased and killed when hounds break from the artificial scent, prompting animal rights organisations to call for tighter regulation. Campaigners have long argued that the practice serves as a cover for illegal hunting and results in undue suffering for wildlife.
The government’s animal welfare package is being framed as the most ambitious of its kind in a generation, responding to strong public sentiment in favour of stronger protections. Polling suggests a significant majority of the British public support reforms to hunting laws and stricter wildlife protections. Labour sources have highlighted that public backing for the changes reflects growing concern over animal welfare and biodiversity loss, and they hope the new measures will resonate with voters amid broader political challenges.
The reforms also align with earlier legislative efforts such as the Hares (Close Season) Bill, which sought to establish similar protective periods for hare shooting, although that private member’s bill had not yet become law. Establishing a legally mandated close season represents a notable updating of century-old wildlife statutes that previously offered inadequate protection for hares.
Critics of current hunting practices, including long-standing animal welfare organisations, welcomed the announcement as a necessary step toward ending outdated and cruel traditions. They argue that banning shooting during sensitive periods and closing loopholes around trail hunting will substantially reduce unnecessary suffering and help rebuild struggling wildlife populations. While some rural and sporting interests may oppose the changes, advocates maintain that public opinion overwhelmingly favours the new protections and that modern conservation demands stronger laws.
The government is expected to lay out the detailed legislative framework in the coming weeks, with enforcement mechanisms and potential penalties to be clarified as the proposals move through Parliament.
