Fox hunting makes shock comeback in Scotland as toffs find loophole in ban to stage 40 meets
dailyrecord.co.ukFox hunts could STILL be taking place in Scotland despite a landmark ban amid fears huntsmen are exploiting a loophole, the Daily Record reveals today.More than 40 licences for hunting with packs of dogs have been issued since the prohibition came into effect last year - including 31 cases where packs of 20 dogs or more were permitted.And evidence suggests at least one of Scotland’s mounted hunts, the Lauderdale Hunt, may have used licensed fox control to continue their activities.It’s raised fears the blood sport could make a comeback in Scotland despite multiple attempts to end the cruel practice via legislation.A new ban on hunting with dogs came into effect last year which it was hoped would be watertight - placing a two-dog limit on hunts unless a special licence is sought strictly for reasons such as protecting livestock or wildlife.But from last November through to April, covering much of the first hunting season since the ban came into law, a total of 41 licences were issued for hunting with larger packs of dogs - a stunning rate of nearly two per week.Just two of these licences were monitored for compliance.Scotland’s wildlife agency NatureScot which issues the licences stressed that not all licences were used, and said just 30 cases led to licensed hunting activities.It also defended the compliance monitoring as “proportionate and robust” - saying only four dog handlers had been named across all the licences issued, and two of these had been monitored.In emails between the agency and the League Against Cruel Sports seen by the Record, however, NatureScot officials revealed four licences between February and April in the Borders had been issued to a dog handler known to work for the Lauderdale Hunt.As licence
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