It’s hard to believe a whole decade has passed since the Hunting Act was passed on 18 November 2004. This legislation, undeniably one of the most contentious seen in modern political times, outlawed the killing of foxes, hares, mink and deer by dogs, ending centuries of cruelty.
Over that period of time we have seen governments and Prime Ministers come and go, and yet the same arguments and political tensions over the Act persist. Just this year the Government abandoned any plans to weaken the Act, since it was clear they didn’t have sufficient Parliamentary support to proceed.
The recent debate gave an opportunity for the pro-repeal lobby to make their case about the Act’s supposed ineffectiveness. However, a decisive indicator of enforceability is a law’s conviction rate, and in terms of convictions the Act has been a marked success.
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