Fox hunting banned in the UK

[Guest guest]

For Immediate Release

 

Contact:

 

Kerry Branon (IFAW) - US Tel: 1 (508) 744-2068; Email: kbranon

 

Editors: For more information visit www.ifaw.org

 

IFAW welcomes historic ban on hunting with dogs in UK

 

(Yarmouth Port, MA - 18 November 2004) - Animal welfare campaigners are today

celebrating a historic victory in the fight to improve animal welfare worldwide

after the final vote to ban hunting in the British Parliament. The ban will come

into force in February 2005.

 

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), with offices in 15 countries,

has been campaigning to end the hunting of foxes, deer, hares and mink with dogs

in the UK since 1989.

 

IFAW UK Director Phyllis Campbell-McRae said, " Banning hunting will put Britain

back at the forefront of animal welfare worldwide. We know from our

international campaigning work, that it will have a huge impact overseas.

 

" It has been a long, hard campaign, won by the determination of tens of

thousands of people in urban and rural communities who are dedicated to

protecting animals from senseless and appalling cruelty. "

 

Elected members of parliament have repeatedly voted overwhelmingly for an end to

hunting with dogs in the past, but their efforts have always been blocked by the

unelected House of Lords. However, on this occasion, the hunting ban has been

allowed to become law using little used UK legislation, known as the Parliament

Acts - enacted when the two houses can reach no agreement to ensure that the

will of the democratically-elected House prevails.

 

A ban on hunting with dogs has strong support in the UK. In an opinion poll last

year, 76% of the British public said hunting with dogs should not be legal. *

 

Notes to Editors

 

IFAW is an international animal welfare organization. It works to improve the

welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation, protecting wildlife habitats and assisting animals in distress.

Further information can be found at www.ifaw.org

 

Under the Parliament Acts, if the House of Commons passes the same proposed

legislation in two successive parliamentary sessions, then the House of Lords

loses the right to block the legislation.

 

· * In a MORI poll conducted in the UK in November 2003, 76% of people said they

wanted hunting with dogs to be banned (82% said deer hunting should be illegal,

77% said hare hunting and coursing should be illegal, and 69% thought fox

hunting should be illegal. 76% is the average of these three figures.)

 

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The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- <a

href= " http://www.ifaw.org " >www.ifaw.org</a>) works to improve the welfare of

wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to

promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of

both animals and people.

 

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