Stormont Considers New Bill to Ban Fox Hunting After 2021 Defeat
A bill seeking to outlaw the hunting of wild animals with dogs in Northern Ireland has been reintroduced at Stormont, five years after its initial defeat in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The legislation, a private member's bill sponsored by the Alliance Party's John Blair, aims to align Northern Ireland with other parts of the United Kingdom where the practice is already prohibited.
In 2021, the previous bill failed by a margin of 45 votes to 38. At that time, Sinn Féin directed its MLAs to vote against a complete ban, advocating for regulation instead. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), then holding the agriculture and environment portfolio, also opposed the measure.
A significant development occurred on Friday when Sinn Féin members at their annual ard fheis voted by a close margin to support a ban on fox hunting. This policy shift could influence the party's approach to the current legislative effort, despite concerns regarding its potential impact on rural voters. Party president Mary Lou McDonald has previously indicated personal support for a ban.
Northern Ireland remains the only UK constituent nation where hunting wild animals with dogs is still permitted. England and Wales banned the practice 20 years ago, while Scotland enacted new legislation in 2023 that, while permitting some limited hunting with dogs for specific purposes like disease prevention, still prohibits chasing and killing wild mammals with dogs.
The new bill was formally introduced on Monday, with a second reading to be scheduled. This stage will determine if the legislation proceeds further through the assembly's processes or faces rejection once more. The League Against Cruel Sports and the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) launched a joint petition in 2024 advocating for such a ban.
