Over 500 incidents of hound neglect and mistreatment this season already
For years, the welfare of foxhounds has been a topic of debate, yet until now, there has been little data to quantify the incidents affecting these animals. At Protect the Wild, we’ve worked tirelessly throughout this hunting season to compile concrete evidence showcasing the welfare challenges foxhounds face.
By analysing every hit report published by hunt monitoring and saboteur groups, we have documented 537 incidents of welfare concerns affecting foxhounds from August 10th 2024 to January 20th 2025. These incidents span 75 hunts and cover a range of minor to severe welfare issues.
To provide clarity, we categorised the welfare concerns into eight groups:
Hounds stuck in fencing (34): Instances where hounds became trapped in fencing, leading to potential injuries and distress.
Stranded hounds (53): Situations where hounds were left stranded, facing threats like dehydration, harsh weather, and traffic accidents.
Hounds hit or kicked (12): Reports of physical contact causing injury and psychological harm.
Hounds hit by vehicles (10): Incidents where hounds were struck by cars, resulting in minor injuries, serious injuries and in some cases fatalities.
Hounds with visible injuries (39): Cases of visible wounds or injuries, minor and severe, that occurred during the hunt meet.
Hounds being roughly handled (18): Reports of hounds being lifted, restrained or thrown inappropriately.
Other incidents (84): This category includes various situations, such as hounds falling from heights, becoming trapped in dangerous conditions such as deep/flowing water, being taken out during severe weather warnings, and running dangerously on roads.
Hounds out of control or lost (287): The most frequently reported issue, highlighting risks to the hounds themselves, as well as the harm they may cause to wildlife, livestock, or private property when out of control or lost.
This data not only sheds light on the challenges foxhounds face but also raises critical questions about the lack of accountability within the hunting community. Members of the public face stringent regulations regarding dogs deemed “out of control,” yet hunts consistently evade scrutiny despite the clear welfare risks to their animals and the members of the public affected.
But we are not stopping here. Protect the Wild is committed to continuing this work by gathering further data and producing comprehensive reports covering each hunting season spanning 2022, 2023, and 2024. These reports will document the welfare concerns in greater detail and provide deeper insights into the challenges and hardships foxhounds endure.
We will also continue to advocate for these animals and call on hunters to rehome rather than shoot foxhounds that do not meet the requirements for hunting, those who are too old to hunt, or those injured in ways that allow for recovery. Injured foxhounds, if treated, can retire and be rehomed to live comfortable and fulfilling lives.
(See here for our Rehome the Hounds project that proves just that!)
Our aim is clear- to ensure foxhounds are treated with the care and respect they deserve while shedding light on practices, and the hunts, that are failing them. Protect the Wild remain dedicated to speaking up for these animals and ensuring their welfare is prioritised and discussed.
Whilst Protect the Wild remains dedicated to helping foxhounds, hunts across the country are weaponising them to oppose a hunting ban, claiming it would leave their future uncertain. This fearmongering tactic deflects accountability away from the hunts, which have had 20 years to adopt legal trail-laying practices but have instead continued illegal fox hunting. It is the responsibility of the hunts to act now and stop shooting foxhounds, cease training them to hunt foxes, and prioritise rehoming. They should prioritise this, rather than using foxhounds as a means to resist a full ban on hunting and manipulate animal lovers.
Watch our latest video unpacking the secret deal between the Warwickshire Hunt and Warwickshire Police
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This article destroyed me before I had finished reading it. I knew as soon as I saw the horrific photo of that poor, vulnerable, and obviously scared dog being handled like that that this article would be harrowing. That photo wasn’t taken out of context, as the Dorset Hunt would have you believe. Look at the angry face of that monster, that tells you everything about how much he cared and empathised with the dog. I can’t bear to read about how badly those beautiful dogs are treated, it’s soul destroying, they are as much victims of this disgusting industry as the foxes are, but it’s vitally important you get this information out into the public domain. Dogs are the most trusting, vulnerable, loyal creatures imaginable. They do not deserve to be treated this way. Thank you for raising awareness of the vile abuse of the hounds.
Excellent report highlighting debased behaviour of the hunting fraternity, again! I recall seeing a sabs video of a happy hound being fussed by sabs and then cringing and backing away from a huntsman who went over to collect it, physically dragging it by scruff and rump skin and tossing it up the ramp of a trailer! I was livid then and am sickened but not surprised by this report! Has everyone seen the new RSPCA advertisement - respect for all animals? What a joke! They do nothing about this type of behaviour (or anything else)! My home is still open for a rescued hound, anytime!