Government Consultation to Ban Hunting 2026
A quick overview
Since the Labour Government was elected in July 2024, it committed to taking action to ban “trail hunting”.
While the Hunting Act 2004 banned the hunting of wild mammals for sport, fox hunting continued under the guise of “trail hunting”. For the last twenty years, hunt saboteurs and monitors caught hunts chasing and killing, over and over again, proving that the law was not working. Some hunts ended up with convictions, but most didn’t. Stag, hare, mink and otter hunting also continued.
Before bringing forward legislation, Defra (the department responsible for the new legislation) has launched a public Consultation.
It is a PUBLIC consultation, so we all need to take part. The Consultation closes on 18th June 2026.
The consultation itself is fairly straightforward and should not take long to complete. Some of the questions are a bit tricky, so we have produce some advice to help you.
While we are very happy to share our expertise, individual responses carry more weight, and we strongly encourage you to submit your own if you are able. However, you may want to read our advice first before submitting anything at all.
To find our advice, click here.
For an overview of what the Government is asking in the Consultation, have a look at this pdf here:
To fill it in online, click here. But please read our advice first.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Quick Order – Complete the Consultation Leaflet
IF THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU DO TO STOP HUNTING WITH DOGS, DO THIS! TIME IS RUNNING OUT. Everyone needs to know about the Government Consultation to ban Trail Hunting, the activity which kills wild mammals, despite the law. Use this leaflet to ask everyone you know...
How to respond to the Consultation
The Basics The Government is consulting the public on how to go about banning trail hunting, an activity that time and again ends up killing animals. If you want the killing to stop as much as we do, read the WHOLE OF THIS PAGE for pointers on the easiest way to...
Sign up for Consultation Updates
The Cottesmore Hunt Prosecution
On 6th Feb 2026, Sam Jones, huntsman for the Cottesmore Hunt, was found not guilty of hunting a wild mammal with dogs. This is despite clear video footage showing hounds in Mr Jones' control chasing a fox. Would banning trail hunting have prevented the fox's...
Order TRAIL HUNTS KILL sticker and LEAFLET
Letter to Defra is in the Post
WILL DEFRA REPLY?The letter is below, with the names of those who gave us permission to publish them. We've also included all the messages people wanted us to send to Defra. Scroll down and find yours. Action Against Foxhunting5 Brayford SquareLondonE1 0SG 19 January...
AAF’s Letter to Defra, add your name
DELAY IN THE GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON STRENGTHENING THE HUNTING ACT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. || Target of 1000 names on the letter reached, and we've put the first one in the post. However, please add your name to the next one || As the Government...
Letter to Defra Jan ’26- Add your Name
Fox Hunting FAQs
FAQ: Fox Hunting in England and Wales If you are new to all this, or just want to remind yourself, here is a handy list of Frequently Asked Questions. Fox Hunting Q: Is fox hunting illegal?A: Fox hunting is illegal in England and Wales. It remains legal in Northern...
