THE HUNTING ACT 2004

This Act applies to England & Wales (not Scotland or Ireland) and places specific legal requirements on those who engage in terrierwork. It permits the use of a SINGLE DOG BELOW GROUND TO FLUSH OUT wild mammals, "solely for the purpose of preventing or reducing serious damage to game birds or wild birds being kept or preserved to be shot".

So if this type of damage occurs it is perfectly legal to use a dog below ground.  

 

However when this type of damage occurs then it suddenly becomes illegal !!!!

 

Where this sits in relation to Labour's 1996 Manifesto Committment "We recognise the need for pest control, but are totally opposed to killing for sport" is something of a mystery .    

Among other things the Act requires WRITTEN PERMISSION TO BE CARRIED. To ensure its members are fully aware of the law and able to continue their lawful and necessary activities without fear of malicious prosecution, the JRTCGB in conjunction with the National Working Terrier Federation has produced 20,000 post cards. These cards summarise the current legal position and once completed also serve as a written authorisation. They have been widely distributed at shows and Game Fairs across the country and are reproduced below.

Should you wish to produce further copies for your own use, simply place your cursor over the image, "right click" on the image and do a "save as" on the drop down menu, this will save each image onto your PC. Four postcards will fit onto a standard A4 sheet.

POST CARD - FRONT

 

POST CARD - BACK

 

The Hunting Act 2004 and the "Code of Conduct for the Use of Dogs Below Ground to Protect Birds Kept for Shooting" can be found at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/20040037.htm and  http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/hunting/releases.htm respectively.

PLEASE REMEMBER - AT PRESENT THIS IS THE LAW AND NO MATTER HOW WRONG, OR RIDICULOUS IT MAY SEEM.... PLEASE ACT WISELY AT ALL TIMES !!!!