law regarding squirrels

[wife 1]

for those that did not know have a look at this,i have looked into it and it is no different to a dog and fox,pathetic i know but would not like to see anyone get in trouble for there dog chasing a squirrel,its a case of they can retreive it after it been shot which is what i do when i go out after squirrels,i just use the dogs for marking any holes or tree roots ,dry stone walls,have a look at this below,keep hunting

 

 

http://csshhq.org.uk/index.html

[david2363 42]

OOOOPS! :whistle:

[dai dog 11]

cheers wife!

[roybo 2,873]

:realmad: it's a joke this country, you mentioned it the weekend wife,

beyond me

[countrymaid 2]

for those that did not know have a look at this,i have looked into it and it is no different to a dog and fox,pathetic i know but would not like to see anyone get in trouble for there dog chasing a squirrel,its a case of they can retreive it after it been shot which is what i do when i go out after squirrels,i just use the dogs for marking any holes or tree roots ,dry stone walls,have a look at this below,keep hunting

 

 

http://csshhq.org.uk/index.html

So what happens if your dog chases a rat or a mouse, thats a mammal is it the same as hunting a fox

[Guest MOLLY]

Mouse is a definate NO anywhere, a rat is ok if your on your own property or permission land

MOLL.

[Guest The Big Fish]

Rat your ok, mouse your in court

 

Now how fecked up is that? Thats a labour government for you

[zap 4]

this country wants to make its mind up ,its illegal to chase a grey with dogs but if you catch one in a trap its illegal to release it

[ChrisJones 7,975]

this country wants to make its mind up ,its illegal to chase a grey with dogs but if you catch one in a trap its illegal to release it

What's even more f****d up is that if your dog catches it live, you're in court. If your dog then releases it, you're in court also.

 

Thanks Tony.

[martin 332]

You can only fight them by voting the stupid b*****ds out.......so don't forget when you are down the polling centre!!!......................but will you???

[mole catcher 1]

The laws regarding tree rats, mice and rats is explained within The Hunting Act. Have a look under exception hunting regarding the legal requierments of written permission ect ect....

 

It amazes me how many of us still have working dogs but dont have the faintest idea of how the advent of The Hunting Act has affected our working of a Hunting dog. its not hard to get hold of a copy of the act. I do believe it may even be pinned on here for all to read.

 

Regardless if the Act is shite or not, we owe it to ourselves to at least have a basic understanding of it just in case a time comes where you will be called upon to defend yourself against it.

 

Just checked to see if the act is pinned, it ist as a whole but it is explained under HUNTING WITH HOUNDS in the running dog thread.

Edited March 7, 2007 by mole catcher

[Guest The Big Fish]

Please clarify mole catcher!

 

Ive just read the exemptions again and cant find where it states that squirrels are exempt.

[Stabs 2]

Please clarify mole catcher!

 

Ive just read the exemptions again and cant find where it states that squirrels are exempt.

 

They're not exempt

[wife 1]

A

B I L L

 

[As amended on re-committal by the standing committee]

 

To make provision about hunting wild mammals with dogs; to prohibit hare

coursing; and for connected purposes.

 

Presented by Secretary Margaret Beckett

supported by

The Prime Minister, Mr Secretary Prescott,

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer,

Mr Secretary Blunkett, Mr Secretary Hain and Mr Alun Michael.

 

 

Part 1. Offences

 

1. Hunting wild mammals with dogs

It is illegal to hunt a wild mammal with dogs unless your hunting is exempt.

 

2. Exempt Hunting

Some types of hunting are exempt from registration (these are listed in Schedule 1); the secretary of state can amend the class of exempt hunting.

 

3. Assisting Hunting

It is illegal to permit your land to be used for illegal hunting; it is also illegal to allow your animals to take part in illegal hunting.

 

4. Hunting: defence

If you can reasonably prove that you thought the hunt was exempt, and you allowed your animals or land to be used, you can be spared prosecution.

 

5. Hare Coursing

A Hare Coursing event is 'a competition in which dogs are, by the use of live hares, assessed as to their skill in hunting hares. 'It is illegal to take part in hare coursing, to attend a hare coursing event, to knowingly allow a hare coursing event to take part on your land, or to give permission for it to take part on your land. It is also illegal if you enter a dog into a Hare Coursing event, allow your dog to be entered or if you control or handle a dog for the purpose of an event.

 

A hare coursing event is defined as “a competition in which dogs are, by the use of live hares, assessed as to skill in hunting hares.â€

 

Part 2. Enforcement

 

6. Penalty

Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Bill is liable, on conviction, of a fine not exceeding £5000, but not imprisonment.

 

7. Arrest

This simply gives the power to a police officer to arrest anyone suspected of illegal hunting.

 

8. Search and Seizure

Police can search and detain you, your vehicle(s) or your animal(s) if they suspect they hold evidence. They can do this without a warrant and can enter land and any premises (except a dwelling), to do it.

 

9. Forfeiture

This gives courts the power to order forfeiture of a dog or any hunting animal used in hunting or on your possession at the time of your arrest. A vehicle can be seized if you were using it to hunt illegally. Someone, other than yourself who 'has an interest' in either a vehicle, animal or other article can claim them back from forfeiture.

 

10. Offence by a corporate body

This states that a corporate body can be found guilty for illegal hunting.

 

Part 4. General

 

11. Interpretation

This clause is designed to define some of the terms:

• 'Wild mammal' includes a wild mammal bred or tamed for any purpose, including those in captivity or confinement, and those which have escaped or been released from captivity or confinement and any mammal living in the wild.

• 'Hunting a wild mammal' includes pursuing a wild mammal, where one or more dogs are involved in that pursuit, whether they are under your control or not.

• Land belongs to a person if they own an interest in it; manage or control it; or occupy it.

• A dog belongs to a person if they own it; are in charge of it; or have control of it.

 

12. Crown Application

The law applies to crown land.

 

16. /17. Short Title & Extent

This law ‘will be’ known as the Hunting Act 2003 and only applies to England & Wales.

 

Schedules

 

Schedule 1. Exempt Hunting

• Stalking & Flushing Out, as long as the following conditions are met: it is done to prevent damage to those things listed in Schedule 1.2, or if it is done to obtain meat for human or other animal consumption. Flushing/Stalking must take place on land that is either owned or belongs to the person doing it, or on land that he has been given permission to use for it. You cannot use more than two dogs, and they cannot go below ground. You must ensure that as soon as possible after the animal is found, that you 'competently' shoot it.

• Protection of birds for shooting, dogs can be used underground in the course of stalking or flushing out to protect such birds. For some reason you must carry proof on you that the land you are using belongs to you or that you have permission to be on it. You must, when asked by the police, show the evidence immediately.

 

The following four exemptions can take place as long as it is on your land, or on land that you have permission to enter:

• Ratting

• Rabbiting

• Retrieval of hares that have been shot

• Falconry

• Recapture of a wild animal, you must shoot it or recapture it as soon as you find it.

• Rescue of a wild animal, as long as the following conditions are met: you believe the wild mammal is either diseased or injured; that you hunt the mammal to relive it of its suffering or to treat its disease; the regular land issues; that, as soon as you find the animal it must be shot or treated; and you cannot harm an animal to hunt it.

• Research and Observation, you can hunt a wild mammal if you are observing or studying that wild mammal.

 

Schedule 1.2. Reasons for exempt hunting

Reasons for exempt hunting include prevention of serious damage to: Livestock, game birds (with limits), food for livestock, crops (including fruit & veg.), growing timber, fisheries, other property, or the 'biological diversity of an area' (within the meaning of the United Nations Environmental Programme Convention on Biological Diversity of 1992).

 

Schedule 2. Consequential Amendments

• Paragraph 1 amends the Game Licences Act 1831 Section 5. The following words shall cease to have effect: “to any person hunting or coursing upon any lands with hounds or greyhounds, and being in fresh pursuit of any deer, hare or fox already started upon any other land, norâ€.

• Paragraph 2 amends the Game Licences Act 1860 Section 5. It removes the exceptions concerning deer and hare hunting by dogs and hare coursing.

• Paragraph 3 amends the Protection of Animals Act 1911, Section 1(1) of that Act creates an offence of treating an animal cruelly or causing an animal unnecessary suffering, but section 1(3)( provides for an exception for the hunting or coursing of a captive animal. This does not apply to hare coursing or coursing or hunting of a wild mammal.

• Paragraph 4 amends the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Section 3 currently makes it an offence to interfere with badger setts and section 8(4) to (9) provides an exception to the offence by allowing for the obstruction of a badger sett entrance for the purpose of hunting foxes with hounds provided certain conditions are met. The amendment removes this exception.

• Paragraph 5 amends the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, currently Section 1 makes it an offence to do certain acts (such as mutilating, kicking and beating) to a wild mammal with intent to inflict unnecessary suffering. Section 2(a), ( & (d) provides exceptions from this offence in relation to certain acts concerning lawful hunting and coursing, the amendment changes this to state that the hunting of a wild mammal with a dog shall be treated as lawful only if it is exempt hunting within the meaning of the Bill.

 

This amendment means that the only acts during registered or exempt hunting excepted from the offence in section 1 of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 are the attempted mercy killing or the killing in a reasonably swift and humane manner of a wild mammal injured or taken in the hunting and acts done by dogs. No other acts involved in hunting with dogs or hare coursing will be excepted from the offence.

 

 

 

 

The Commons Committee Amendments

 

Below are the amendments to the bill that were made during the Commons Committee stage.

 

Key amendments

 

Clause 1/8 - Pest control

This amendment makes it clear that registration under the utility test is only possible for pest control.

 

Clause 8 - Cruelty Test

Strengthens the test to ensure registration is only possible for fox hunting where it is the least cruel method of pest control.

 

New Clause - Hare Hunting

This amendment bans the registration of hare hunting.

 

New Clause - Terrierwork

This amendment bans registration of hunting involving the use of dogs underground.

 

Other amendments that promote animal welfare

 

Schedule 2 - Tribunal members

This amendment clarifies that the tribunal panel must be balanced.

 

Clause 16 - Renewal

This amendment prevents new applications being considered until 12 months after the previous one was rejected.

 

Clause 17, 28, 32, 33 - Disqualifying Offences

This amendment adds to the list of offences for which conviction leads to disqualification of being registered for hunting.

 

Clause 17, 18, 19 - Conditions

This gives the registrar the power to impose conditions on registrations and the right of appeal against conditions.

 

Clause 24, 25 - Length of registration

This gives the registrar the discretion to grant a licence for less than 3 years.

 

Other amendments

 

Clause 8 - Wild Birds

This amendment adds 'prevention of wild birds' to the lost of purposes for which hunting may be registered

 

Clause 13, 14 25 - Age of Applicant

The age for licence application is reduced from 18 to 16.

 

 

The Report Stage Amendments (made on Monday, 30th June 2003)

 

Below are the amendments to the bill that were made during the Commons Report stage.

 

Key amendments

from reading the above you will see it has not mentioned squirrel cannot be hunted with dogs and also it has not metioned they can be hunted with dogs,what it does say is what 4 exemptions are as listed below

 

The following four exemptions can take place as long as it is on your land, or on land that you have permission to enter:

• Ratting

• Rabbiting

• Retrieval of hares that have been shot

• Falconry

• Recapture of a wild animal, you must shoot it or recapture it as soon as you find it.

• Rescue of a wild animal, as long as the following conditions are met: you believe the wild mammal is either diseased or injured; that you hunt the mammal to relive it of its suffering or to treat its disease; the regular land issues; that, as soon as you find the animal it must be shot or treated; and you cannot harm an animal to hunt it.

• Research and Observation, you can hunt a wild mammal if you are observing or studying that wild mammal.

have a look at the next bit from a defra page

http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/hunting/brief_guide.htm

the bit that sais (unless he or she then used the dog to hunt the squirrel)would be the same if the person was to hunt the squirrel on land that they had permission to be on with a dog,or at least it looks that way from the way it is written

keep hunting

 

 

Please clarify mole catcher!

 

Ive just read the exemptions again and cant find where it states that squirrels are exempt.

 

They're not exempt

i for one hope we can hunt them with dogs as i used to do a fair bit of squirrel control with my dogs until i read this below in the first bit i put up,if they are wrong where did they get there information from as stated below

Why do we do it?

The Hunting Act 2004 prohibits you from encouraging your dog to chase a squirrel. Yes, even if its only one dog and he’s got no chance of catching it. Absurd, isn’t it?

 

We thought that people should know that their dog’s squirrel chasing habits were illegal so we set up the hunt to publicise the fact. It’s also very good fun and a great way to meet like-minded people.

http://csshhq.org.uk/index.html

who knows my dogs dont though and once they see a squirrel there no calling them off it,lol

[mole catcher 1]

Please clarify mole catcher!

 

Ive just read the exemptions again and cant find where it states that squirrels are exempt.

 

 

To clarify, I didnt say they where exempt what i said was quote: have a look under excemption hunting regaurding the legal requierments of written permissiom ect ect...unquote

 

 

Perhaps i should have worded it as such,, to see for yourself what you can and cant hunt, get off your lazy arses and get hold of a copy of the hunting act and read it for yourself, that would then leave you in no doubt to what is legal quarry.

 

How what i wrote in my last post could be read as i was saying under exemption hunting it is legal to take tree rats with your dogs, i find hard to understand

 

SO to re-inforce what i was trying to say..... get hold of a copy and read it and not leave it up to each others own personal interpretation to get you in to trouble.

Edited March 7, 2007 by mole catcher