Greens urge government to back outright foxhunting ban
The Scottish Government should back an outright ban on foxhunting, consigning the boxing day hunt
to history, Scottish Greens environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP has said.
The First Minister has previously described herself as an, “opponent of fox hunting,” even going as
far to say, “Be under no doubt at all this government opposes fox hunting,” prompting Mr Ruskell
challenge them to make today’s boxing day hunts the last ever.
Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“The fox is a much-loved animal and an iconic British wildlife species. The killing of foxes for sport
using hunting dogs was meant to have been banned in Scotland in 2002, but in reality, loopholes in
the law mean that little has changed. Hunts still go out, pursuing and killing foxes, with hundreds of
foxes thought to still be killed by hunting dogs.
“Even this year, when many of us have been restricted to our homes by unprecedented public health
measures, hunts have continued.
“It’s time that an end was brought to this cruel practice by removing all the loopholes that were built
into the current legislation, giving Scotland the watertight ban that the public wants.
“The Scottish Government claims it opposes fox hunting. So, Ministers must end this barbarism once
and for all.”