Trail hunt ban 'needs careful wording' says group

The Nar Valley Bloodhounds pack in Norfolk takes part in "clean boot" hunting

A hunting group has called on the government to carefully consider the wording of proposed legislation to ban trail hunting.

Nar Valley Bloodhounds, based near Castle Acre, Norfolk, said the ban could have "traumatic consequences" on the future of the pack if the wording was too broad.

The group takes part in "clean boot" hunting where bloodhounds chase the scent of humans.

Labour pledged to ban trail hunting in its pre-election manifesto, although no legislation has yet been passed, but the Norfolk hunt said it operated in a different way.

"Comparing us with trail hunting is like comparing a hockey team to a football team," said Charlie Ward, Nar Valley's huntsman.

"We are completely different, but we do a similar sort of thing.

"We aren't asking our hounds to follow any scent of an animal, we're asking them to follow just the pure scent of our human runners."

Clean boot hunting involves riders on horseback following a pack of bloodhounds chasing a human runner.

It is seen as a way of protecting wildlife while keeping hunting traditions alive.

Some groups own dozens of hounds and are run as businesses.

"The wording is crucial," said Mr Ward's wife, Justine, a field master.

"If [the government ban] says something on the lines of 'hunting with hounds' it would massively impact on what we do."

Justine Ward says th pack is trained not to chase wildlife

In Labour's pre-election manifesto, the party said it would ban trail hunting and the importation of hunting trophies to improve animal welfare.

Steve Reed, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), had previously backed the ban but no legislation has yet been passed.

Critics claim trail hunting - an activity that mimics traditional fox hunting with dogs but instead follows an artificial scent along a predetermined route - is sometimes a "smokescreen" for illegal practices and the pack often picked up the scent of live animals, resulting in them being caught and killed.

David Hunter is a runner for the Nar Valley Bloodhounds and often goes days without washing to help build a strong scent

In July, two men were found guilty of illegal fox hunting at two separate events in Norfolk.

Prosecutors argued that the dogs were on two trail hunts and were dangerously out of control, causing criminal damage and killing a fox.

Earlier this month, a Boxing Day trail hunt was banned in Wymondham, with the town's mayor alleging it had "strong links to terrorising wildlife under the guise of tradition".

Fox hunting was outlawed in England and Wales in 2004.

In 2022, official figures compiled by Labour showed there were 438 convictions under the Hunting Act since 2010.

A Defra spokesperson said: "This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation, including banning trail hunting."