Bill to Ban Fox Hunting Introduced in Ireland

An important bill was introduced in Ireland last week that would ban both traditional fox hunting and the controversial practice of 'trail hunting,' which Irish legislators have recognized as a loophole used to circumvent the fox hunting ban in the United Kingdom.

The Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025 was introduced by Ruth Coppinger, a member of the Irish Parliament representing Dublin West, and is currently in the Second Stage, which means it will be debated in the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas).

The new law would update the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 to outlaw fox hunting, including hunting with dogs, using dogs to flush or dig foxes out from underground, trapping and snaring foxes, and trail hunting. The bill text refers to fox hunting as “a cruel and inhumane blood sport” and notes that “public opinion is opposed to the practice, with opinion polls overwhelmingly supportive of a ban on fox hunting.”

The bill in Ireland comes as a promised ban on trail hunting has yet to materialize in the United Kingdom. British Environment Minister Daniel Zeichner has stated that action is expected later this year, but no firm legislation has been introduced, even though several Members of Parliament (MPs) in the UK have been pushing hard to strengthen the hunting ban. Neil Duncan-Jordan, MP for Poole, recently stated that "The reality is that ‘trail hunting’ is a cover for illegal fox hunting, and there is an urgent need for a strengthened hunting ban that closes the loopholes currently allowing the deliberate hunting of foxes to continue."

MP Perran Moon, who represents Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, has called for jail time for hunters who violate the law, noting that “80% of the British public support the ban on hunting with dogs, and many of those people would like to see trail hunting banned as well. The moral case for ending trail hunting is clear: it is inconsistent with the values of a modern, compassionate society that respects animal welfare.”

If the Irish bill is successful, it could help build momentum for a similarly strengthened ban in the United Kingdom. Closing the trail hunting loopholes would help protect foxes from the horrific fate of being chased down and killed by packs of dogs in the name of a sadistic sport.

You can help by signing and sharing our petition against trail to spread the word about what’s happening to wildlife in the UK. Together, we can bring this archaic cruelty to an end.