About the Centre
Twenty years ago, the UK Government passed the Hunting Act which banned the hunting of deer, foxes, badgers, and hares. This was a historic piece of legislation for animal protection, especially given the considerable opposition by the hunting lobby.
Since then, hunters have used a loophole in the Act which permitted “trail hunting” as cover to continue illegal hunting. For evidence of this, see the films by Protect the Wild on YouTube here.
Despite a manifesto commitment to ban “trail hunting,” the Government has, for unfathomable reasons, now decided to launch a consultation on hunting. This consultation ends on June 18, 2026.
It is now vital for as many people as possible to participate in the consultation to show the widespread opposition to hunting and to embolden the UK Government to act as a matter of urgency.
To participate, please complete the consultation here. If you do not have time to complete the lengthy questionnaire, please just use the prepared response by Protect the Wild here.
If you’d like to know more, the ethics of hunting are examined in detail in Professor Andrew Linzey’s book Why Animal Suffering Matters published by Oxford University Press in 2009 (see “The First Case Study”, pp 73-96). It clearly shows that hunting for sport is ethically indefensible.
Useful links:
Films by Protect the Wild are here.
To participate in the consultation see here.
Prepared response from Protect the Wild here.
Editor’s Notes:
The Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey is Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and has been a member of the Faculty of Theology in the University of Oxford for twenty-eight years. He is available for interview and comment.
For media enquiries please contact Sophie at Panpathic Communications – Sophie@panpathic.com / 07815 860 082
About the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre pioneering ethical perspectives on animals through academic research, teaching, and publication. The Centre comprises more than 100 academic Fellows worldwide and organises the annual Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Summer School, now in its eleventh year.
Web: www.oxfordanimalethics.com/home
Instagram: @oxfordanimalethics
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oxfordanimalethics