Change is ahoof
CHANGES have been announced to the way hunting is governed, in the light of the adverse publicity and court case that followed the hacking of MFHA webinars in 2020. Andrew Osborne, chairman of the MFHA and Council of Hunting Associations (Interview,
October 20, 2021), has written to members, saying: ‘The most urgent challenge facing us is the perception that not all hunting activity is legitimate and that not all hunts are operating to the highest standards. We need a change in the way hunting is run to give all stakeholders confidence that we are operating legitimately.’
A consultation has concluded that there should be a single, inclusive new body, responsible for setting the standards and rules to which all members and member hunts must adhere. There will be a separate regulatory authority to administer disciplinary matters. Membership of the governing body will be representative of the entire hunting community and all associations, hunts, huntsmen and kennel-huntsmen will be invited to join.
An accreditation process involving kennel and field visits, plus meetings with hunt staff and officials, will ensure that only those operating to the appropriate standards will be accredited. ‘Hunting can adapt to meet the changing demands of society and the modern countryside,’ Mr Osborne says, adding that it has ‘a bright future’.