The New Hunting Ban launches a new website giving those who have witnessed cruelty, illegal hunting with dogs and the reality behind the trail hunting façade a platform to speak out.
The Inside Line (theinsideline.uk) invites people with direct or indirect experience of hunting with dogs to share their stories, report cruelty and lawbreaking, and help bring an end to blood sports.
Since the Hunting Act 2004, trail hunting has been presented as a legitimate pastime: a supposedly harmless activity in which hounds follow an artificial scent laid across the countryside. But the reality is that hunting live animals with dogs has continued unabated, despite the ban.
Blood sport advocates and organisations have devoted enormous time and resources to misleading the public, police and politicians. And while the truth is slowly coming to light, there are likely thousands of stories from people who were drawn into the hunting world, witnessed its reality and are now waiting for the opportunity to speak out.
The Inside Line gives a voice to those who have witnessed the reality of trail hunting first-hand and want to expose the truth.
The New Hunting Ban: Parliament's leading anti-hunting campaign
The New Hunting Ban is a political campaign working to secure an effective and enforceable ban on trail hunting.
The campaign's parliamentary supporters have helped drive the movement towards a ban on trail hunting in this Parliament, pushed for the Government's public consultation to begin, and brought the first anti-hunting legislation in 20 years to the floor of the House of Commons.
The New Hunting Ban has also developed what it describes as the ‘gold standard’ of legislative recommendations, aimed at closing the loopholes that have allowed hunting with hounds to continue under the guise of trail hunting.
Rhys Giles, Director of The New Hunting Ban, said:
“Trail hunting has always depended on a story: that hunts are following an artificial scent, that foxes are safe, and that the activity is fundamentally different from the hunting that was banned in 2004.
“That smokescreen has misled so many people – the public, the police and politicians alike. But there is no shame in admitting that you were taken in by it, or that you genuinely believed you were supporting an alternative to blood sports.
“Today, we're calling on those who were welcomed into the hunts' inner circles, only to be disgusted by what they witnessed, to share their stories with us – in the strictest confidence – and help bring hunting with dogs to an end once and for all.”
The Inside Line is now live at theinsideline.uk.