Draft legislation which aims to ban hunting with dogs in NI has started its passage through Stormont again.

The private members bill from the Alliance Party’s John Blair follows on from a previous attempt to ban hunting with dogs which was voted down by MLAs back in December 2021.

Briefing Stormont’s agriculture committee last week, Blair outlined how the new bill has exemptions which can allow hunting with dogs under certain circumstances.

ADVERTISEMENT

“For example, up to two dogs could be used in pursuit to protect livestock, livestock feeds, protect human health, or protect biodiversity,” the South Antrim MLA said.

“There is no mention, and I need to be clear about this, of other forms of hunting such as hunting using guns to shoot wildlife,” he added.

Drag hunts, which involves using an artificial scent with no live animals being chased, are not affected by the draft legislation, but trail hunts would be banned under the proposals.

“Trail hunts involve an animal scent and it’s therefore pretty obvious that an animal scent can lead the dog to an animal trail and then the pursuit of a wild mammal,” Blair said.

The bill is opposed by wildlife managers who argue that dog hunting is needed for predator control and protecting ground nesting birds, especially in rough terrain where other hunting methods are not practical.

It remains to be seen how much support the proposed ban has among MLAs and whether it will successfully pass through the NI Assembly this time round.

At Stormont’s agriculture committee last Thursday, MLAs held off on declaring support for the principles of the bill.

“We need to discuss it within our own parties first,” said Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer.