We are appalled to find out that rabbits and hares are offered no protection whatsoever by Scottish law, with regards to the use of dogs to control foxes and other wild mammals in Scotland.
Hares are even classed as a “pest species” here!
Please take a few minutes from your day to complete the following consultation in hopes of changing this. There’s also an opportunity to urge them to ban trail hunting entirely.
Questions needing particular focus:
Q4. Do you agree that the Scottish Government should ban trail hunting?
ANSWER YES
Q6. For the purposes of this Bill do you agree with the current definition of wild mammal?
ANSWER NO
(The 2002 Act defines a wild mammal as including ‘a wild mammal which has escaped, or been released, from captivity, and any mammal which is living wild’. However, rabbits and rodents[1] are excluded from this definition. This means that this Act does not prohibit the use of a dog or dogs to hunt and kill a rabbit/s or rodent/s.)
Q7. If you answered no to question 6, do you think that:
Please select – Rabbits should be included in this definition
– All species of rodent should be included in this definition
8. For the purposes of this Bill, do you agree that a person should be allowed to use dogs to stalk, search and flush wild mammals for the purpose of controlling the number of a ‘pest’ species?
ANSWER NO
(The 2002 Act defines pest species as; foxes, hares, mink, stoats and weasels.)
Q9. For the purposes of this Bill do you agree with this definition of pest species?
ANSWER NO
Q10. If you answered no to question 9, do you think that:
Please select – None of the mammals listed should be included in the definition of pest species
Q11. Do you think the current legislation provides sufficient protection in order to tackle hare coursing in Scotland?
ANSWER NO
https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/dog-use-to-control-foxes-and-wild-mammals/consultation/subpage.2016-07-07.1474135251/