Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill - Scottish Parliament

Contact

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

0131 348 5000

Overview

This call for views is now closed. You can read the submissions by accessing them here.

The Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee wants your views on the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill.

What does the legislation do?

It is against the law to hunt a wild mammal using a dog except in limited circumstances. This became an offence under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002.

This Bill replaces the 2002 Act. It will still be an offence to hunt a wild mammal using a dog except in limited circumstances. For example, hunting with dogs may be allowed to prevent the spread of disease or to protect other animals if the activity meets the requirements in the Bill about how it is done.

Where hunting is allowed, the Bill introduces new limits on the number of dogs that can be used. In some circumstances, people may be able to get a licence to use more dogs. The Bill also sets out other conditions which must be met in order to hunt a wild mammal.

The Bill also bans trail hunting except in limited circumstances. Trail hunting is when a dog is used to find and follow an animal-based scent.

The Committee will not, as part of its scrutiny, address or explore issues which are outwith the scope of the Bill as outlined above. Submissions which contain offensive language, do not comply with GDPR requirements or are not relevant to the Committee’s scrutiny will not be published.

Share your views

We are seeking your views on the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill

You can either:

complete a short survey on the Bill
share your detailed views on specific provisions of the Bill

Please note that we can only accept submissions via the online platform. If you require assistance to share your views via the platform for accessibility reasons, please contact the clerks.

Short survey

If you wish to provide a short response with your views on the Bill overall, please complete the survey

Read the questions in the short survey

1. Will the bill make the law easier to understand and enforce the offence to hunt a wild mammal using a dog in Scotland?

2. Section 3 would allow hunting with dogs to manage wild mammals above ground for the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock, woodland or crops, preventing the spread of disease and protecting human health. Do you agree with section 3?

3. Do you agree with the limit on two dogs to manage wild mammals above ground?

4. Section 4 would allow people to apply for a licence to use more than two dogs to manage wild mammals above ground. Do you agree with section 4?

5. Section 5 would allow hunting with dogs to manage foxes or mink below ground for the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock, woodland or crops, preventing the spread of disease and protecting human health or for ending the suffering of an injured or dependent fox or mink. Do you agree with section 5?

6. Do you agree with the limit on one dog being allowed to flush a fox from cover to one below ground?

7. Section 6 would allow hunting with dogs to search for, stalk or flush from cover a wild mammal with the intention of providing quarry for falconry, game shooting or deer stalking. Do you agree with section 6?

8. Do you agree with the limit on two dogs to search for, stalk or flush from cover a wild mammal with the intention of providing quarry for falconry, game shooting or deer stalking?

9. Section 7 would allow hunting with dogs for environmental benefit for the purpose of preserving, protecting or restoring a particular species, the diversity of animal or plant life, or eradicating an invasive non-native species. Do you agree with section 7?

10. Do you agree with the limit on two dogs for the purpose of preserving, protecting or restoring a particular species, the diversity of animal or plant life, or eradicating an invasive non-native species?

11. Section 8 would allow people to apply for a licence to use more than two dogs to manage wild mammals for environmental benefit. Do you agree with section 8?

12. Do you agree with the section 11 proposed ban on trail hunting?

13. Section 12 would allow trail hunting for the purpose of training a dog to follow an animal-based scent. Do you agree with section 12?

14. Do you agree with the definition of ‘wild mammal’ in section 1(3) of the bill?

15. Do you agree that rats and mice should be included in the definition of a wild animal?

16. Do you agree that the court may disqualify a person from owning, keeping, or managing a dog for a given length of time, or deprive them of the dog or horse used in the offence, if convicted of an offence under this Bill?

17. Do you support the Bill?

If you are a stakeholder who would like to comment at length on the specific provisions in the Bill, please share your views in the detailed consultation

Detailed consultation

Read about the issues you will be asked to comment on in the detailed consultation

Do you agree the bill would make the offence to hunt a wild mammal using a dog in Scotland easier to understand and to enforce than under the 2002 Act?
Do you agree with the definition of a wild mammal set out in the bill?
Do you agree the bill would make the offence for a land owner/occupier or dog owner/person who is responsible for a dog to knowingly cause or permit another person to hunt a wild mammal using a dog easier to understand and to enforce than under the 2002 Act?
Do you agree with the exception for the management of wild mammals above ground for the specified purposes and if the conditions are met?
Do you agree with the specified purposes set out in section 3(2) for which the exception for the management of wild mammals above ground would apply?
Do you agree with the conditions set out in section 3(3), including the proposed limit for up to two dogs, which would apply for the exception for the management of wild mammals above ground?
Do you agree with the proposed licensing regime?
Do you agree with the exception for the management of foxes and mink below ground for the specified purposes and if the conditions are met?
Do you agree with the specified purposes set out in section 5(2) for which the exception for the management of foxes and mink below ground would apply?
Do you agree with the conditions set out in section 5(3), including the proposed limit for one dog, which would apply for the exception for the management of foxes and mink below ground?
Do you agree with the exception for falconry, game shooting and deer stalking if the conditions are met?
Do you agree with the conditions set out in section 6(2) which would apply for the exception for falconry, game shooting and deer stalking?
Do you agree with the exception for environmental benefit?
Do you agree with the specified purposes set out in section 7(2) which would apply to the exception for environmental benefit?
Do you agree with the conditions set out in section 7(3) which would apply to the exception for environmental benefit?
Do you agree with the proposed licensing regime?
Do you agree the two licensing regimes should be managed by NatureScot?
Do you think the bill should introduce vicarious liability?
. Do you think the bill should reverse the burden of proof?
Do you agree with the proposed ban on trail hunting?
Do you agree with the exception to the ban on trail hunting?
Do you agree with the conditions set out in section 12(2) which would apply for the exception to the ban on trail huntings?
Do you agree with the provisions contained in Part 3 of the bill?
Do you support this Bill?
Do you have any other comments to make in relation to the bill?

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language.

The call for views closes on 13 May 2022.

Interests

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