Leading animal welfare organisations join forces to launch the Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting
Press release.
The UK’s most influential animal welfare and environmental organisations have announced they have formed a coalition to demand the next government strengthen laws on fox hunting.
They want to see the so-called sport – banned in theory in 2005 – ended for good.
Drawn from an array of more than 30 organisations and umbrella groups from across the UK, the coalition is estimated to be one of the largest ever brought in the UK, counting many millions of the public in its joint supporter base.
Launching the coalition at the Camley Street Natural Park in London yesterday [THURS], a League spokesperson said: “That such a diverse group of organisations has come together in such overwhelming numbers to finally end the senseless hunting of foxes, deer and other wild mammals tells of a growing sense of injustice that is undermining public trust. Any law that has as many exemptions and is so easy to circumvent as the Hunting Act is clearly not fit for purpose”.
“The public want to see a broad range of long promised animal protections introduced and there aren’t many issues that have such near universal public support as a proper ban on hunting. We are asking our joint supporter base to ensure the next Government is one willing to act in the interests of the many, not the cruel few.”
Keynote speakers were Chief Superintendent Matthew Longman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on foxhunting crime.
Ch Supt Longman, who has previously described illegal hunting as “prolific”, was due to speak about the importance of policing hunt crimes and how forces are taking it more seriously, and how the Hunting Act 2004 needs to be revisited.
The event also saw the launch of the Time For Change petition, hosted by 38 Degrees, which calls on the Government to strengthen the Hunting Act by removing its exemptions and also outlawing trail hunting – where hunts claim to follow animal-based scents rather than real animals but which, in reality, is just a smokescreen for old fashioned illegal hunting.
The coalition members are:
Action Against Foxhunting
Animal Aid
Animal Concern
Animal Defenders International
Animal Interfaith Alliance
Animal Protection Agency
Badger Trust
Battersea
Born Free
Catholic Concern for Animals
Cats Protection
Crustacean Compassion
Dogs On The Streets
Ecoflix
Foal Group
Four Paws International
Freedom for Animals
Humane Society International UK
IFAW
League Against Cruel Sports
Mahavir Trust
Naturewatch
OneKind
PETA
Power of One
Raptor Persecution UK
RSPCA
Shellfish Network
Save the African Elephants
USPCA
Wildlife and Countryside LINK
World Animal Protection
ENDS
Notes to editors
Pictures and other media from the event will be available for download here: www.timeforchangecoalition.co.uk
The Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting is a coalition of around 30 leading wildlife and environmental organisations that are aligned in their objectives to see cruelty to animals outlawed.
The coalition is led by the League Against Cruel Sports, Britain’s leading wildlife charity campaigning to end cruelty to animals from blood sports. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).
For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact pressoffice@league.org.uk or call 01483 524250.