Legal opinion sought on NI hunting ban

Rural lobby group the Countryside Alliance has asked legal experts for their professional opinion on a proposed law to ban hunting with dogs in NI.

The private members bill from the Alliance Party’s John Blair began its passage through Stormont in April and is set to be debated by MLAs shortly.

The bill aims to prohibit hunting wild mammals with dogs, as well as ban trail hunting and terrier work in NI.

The proposed legislation does contain exemptions, including allowing up to two dogs to be used in pursuit to protect livestock and biodiversity.

Hunting with guns to shoot wildlife is not mentioned in the bill.

However, Gary McCartney from the Countryside Alliance has concerns that the current wording of the bill means it could have implications beyond hunting.

“The bill is too broad. I appreciate it could be amended, but as it sits at the minute, it is extremely far reaching,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

In a briefing with MLAs last month, bill sponsor John Blair was asked about what happens if someone is walking their dog in the countryside and the dog ends up pursuing an animal.

Blair said the decision by police officers to start investigations under the proposed legislation would be based around “perception” and “burden of proof”.

He said officers would know the difference between “someone with a lead and a poop-scoop” and “someone equipped to take part in a hunt”.

However, the Countryside Alliance’s Gary McCartney argues that the reliance on how hunting with dogs is perceived shows that the proposed legislation is flawed.

“If someone with a red coat is guilty of hunting, but someone with a poop-scoop is not, will everyone start carrying a poop-scoop?” he said.

McCartney suggests that the bill could inadvertently impact people that are not involved in hunting at all, such as dog walkers and farmers.

“The police and courts will have to look at it as it’s written in the law,” he said.

A similar concern includes the proposal for landowners to be guilty of an offence if they knowingly allow hunting on their land.

Again, Countryside Alliance has asked legal professionals how far-reaching this could be, with an example being if a working farm dog accidently pursues a wild animal.

“Our concerns are all based on our initial reading of the bill and we await the full legal opinion. As soon as we get it back, we will have a firmer footing,” McCartney said.