This petition calls upon the Conservative Government to publicly announce that they will drop plans to repeal the 2004 Hunting Act due to the overwhelming public support for keeping fox hunting, hare coursing, and deer hunting illegal.

In the last year alone, our campaign group 'Keeptheban' have amassed a following of nearly 75,000 people and helped stop the most recent attempt to repeal the Hunting Act in the Summer of 2015. We are calling for the Government to drop their plans once and for all.

 The current 2004 Hunting Act allows a fox to be flushed out to a maximum of two dogs, the Government wish to repeal the Act so that there is no limit to the number of dogs that can be used and thus essentially legalise fox hunting via the back door. Sign this petition if you want the Hunting Act to be left alone and for the Government to publicly announce that they will not seek a repeal. 

The Government stands by its manifesto commitment to give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act 2004 on a free vote, with a government bill in government time." 

Despite a poll* revealing that 80% of the population do not want to see fox hunting legalised.  

In a statement given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs "Repeal would give back to rural communities the freedom to hunt, a traditional part of the fabric of our countryside. However, the Government recognises that hunting evokes strong views on both sides of the argument and that is why this issue has been a free vote issue for many years. A free vote will allow MPs and peers the opportunity to make up their own minds.

Anyone who believes an offence is taking place, or has taken place, under the Hunting Act 2004 should report the matter to the Police. There are also strict laws in place to protect animal welfare. It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal. The maximum penalty is an unlimited fine and/or six months imprisonment." 

The statement that it is an offence under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal completely contradicts their intentions to repeal a piece of legislation that was specifically created to ensure wild animals were protected from such suffering. It is about time that the wishes of the people were adhered to rather than that of the wishes of the unelected and unaccountable Countryside Alliance who seek to legalise a barbaric and cruel bloodsport. 

Join the online campaign to Keeptheban: https://www.facebook.com/KeepTheFoxHuntBan/ 

*2013 IPSOS MORI