Johnstone to bring forward member's bill to ban foxhunting
Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone tonight (28 Nov) confirmed that she intends to bring forward a member's bill to ban foxhunting.
The Scottish Government is conducting a review of how current laws work but has not considered an outright ban.
The Bonomy review estimated that around 800 foxes are killed by hunts every year in Scotland, and that 1 in 5 foxes are killed by packs of hounds in clear breach of the Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002.
Announcing her intention tonight (28 Nov) at an event in Parliament for the League Against Cruel Sports, Alison Johnstone MSP, Deputy Convener of Holyrood's Cross-Party Group on Animal Welfare, said:
"In 2002 the Wild Mammals Act aimed to ban foxhunting but has clearly failed. The practice of ‘flushing’ foxes with packs of dogs to waiting guns is in many cases hunting with dogs under another name.
"Polling shows most Scots are in favour of a full ban, and I will bring forward a member's bill to deliver one.
"SNP members, like most of the public, have been horrified by recent decisions on puppy tail docking and shock collars. We cannot allow ministers to kick the can down the road on foxhunting. It's time to take a stand."