Lord Bonomy to lead fox hunting review

Scottish ministers have announced a new review into fox hunting laws in Scotland to be led by Lord Bonomy.

He has been handed the role of making sure current laws protect foxes as well as other wild mammals while providing for the control of their populations when necessary.

The review will begin this month and written evidence will be accepted from the 1st February to end of March.

Minister for environment, climate change and land reform, Aileen McLeod said: “I am pleased to announce that Lord Bonomy has agreed to carry out a review of our fox hunting legislation in the new year. Lord Bonomy is very experienced in carrying out complex reviews and I was delighted when he accepted my invitation to take on this important role.

“Scotland led the way in addressing animal welfare concerns with legislation in 2002, and we remain committed to ensuring the highest levels of welfare for our wild animals.

“The aim of this review is to ensure current legislation is providing the necessary level of protection for foxes and other wild mammals, while at the same time allowing effective and humane control of these animals where needed.

“I am sure everyone with an interest in the protection of wild mammals will want to engage with Lord Bonomy and I would encourage them to do so.”

OneKind, an animal welfare charity, said The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 has not stopped the popularity of Boxing Day fox-hunting in Scotland.

Charity director Harry Huyton said: “The law which was intended to end this barbaric practice has sadly failed due to a number of loopholes which have rendered it totally ineffective.

“Fox-hunting is supposedly banned in Scotland yet if you were to attend any meet in Scotland today it would be perfectly clear that little has changed since the law came into force in 2002.”