Members and supporters of The League Against Cruel Sports (the League) and Newry’s Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) have taken to the streets of Belfast to gather more support to bring an end to the wanton cruelty of hunting with animals.
Already illegal in England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where it’s still legal to hunt mammals for sport.
The two animal welfare charities launched a petition over a year ago to gain support for their ‘Together’ campaign. To date more than 9,000 people have signed the petition and the drive is on this week across Thursday and Friday to gather more support for banning hunting with dogs
Currently a Private Members Bill is sitting with the NI Assembly to bring about a ban.
Robbie Marsland from the League said: “It is 20 years since the Hunting Act was introduced to ban fox hunting in England and Wales, with Scotland recently taking steps to strengthen and improve their legislation. Northern Ireland now has an important opportunity to end this suffering.
“Chasing and killing mammals with dogs has no place in today’s society and it’s time for change. We have taken to the streets of Belfast today to ask people to sign the petition and show support that this cruel practice must end.
“We’ve had really encouraging conversations with members of the public today, with the clear majority wanting to see a ban on hunting with animals.”
USPCA Chief Executive Heather Weir said: “Each year across Northern Ireland there is an annual display of cruelty, with participants chasing foxes through fields and beyond. The impact this has upon these helpless animals, who are chased, must be confined to the history books.
“Since the launch of our Together Campaign, we have taken our message to ban hunting with dogs to politicians supported by the public. Our online petition has received more than 9,000 signatures and is growing daily.
Attitudes to animal cruelty are changing across the island of Ireland. Recent polling shows 70% of the public support for a ban in Northern Ireland while 72% of people support a ban in Republic of Ireland, with the recently elected President of Ireland, Catherine Connelly being a vocal advocate.
“We are greatly encouraged by the support we received on the streets of Belfast and look forward to continuing discussions with MLAs on the proposed Private Members Bill in the NI Assembly.”
