Opinion polls show that the vast majority of people in the UK support the ban on Fox Hunting. Given that the percentage of people who support the ban on Fox hunting is very high, it's not really an issue which is 'controversial'. It is an issue were most people disagree with Fox hunting, and a tiny minority are comfortable with it.
2015. The Metro asked 'Should Fox Hunting with your dog be made legal again?'
Results: 89% said No
11% Said Yes.
2015. The Mirror asked 'Should Britain bring back Fox Hunting?'
Results: 81% said No
19% said yes
2015. Comres poll asked 'Should Fox hunting be made legal again?'
Results: 74% said No
20% said Yes
2014. IPSOS Mori asked 'Should the hunting ban be made legal again?'
Results: 80% said No
17% said Yes
3% said Don't know
A poll by IPSOS Mori in 2015 found that 84% of Scottish people oppose Fox Hunting being made legal.
While in 2014, YouGov looked at every region in the United Kingdom, in relation to opinions on the issue of Fox Hunting. It found that the regions which were most in favour of a ban in Fox Hunting, were in Scotland.
Given that most people support a ban in Scotland, (and in the wider UK), there should be, and must be an outright ban on Fox Hunting. But, there is not.
Fox Hunting is not completely banned anywhere in the UK. But, since we are talking about Scotland, because they are looking into the Wildlife and Mammals Act 2002, which, to an extent, bans Fox Hunting, we will focus on Scotland.
The Wildlife and Mammals Act
It is impossible really to prove whether or not a Fox was killed within the law. And, there is often not post-mortems on the body of a killed Fox to determine whether or not the Fox was killed by one dog, or a pack of dogs. This is why the law needs to ban Fox hunting outright, there are too many ways in which this law can be abused.
And, lets face it, it often is abused. Whether the evidence has been through video recordings of hunts in Scotland, or, whether it's photographic evidence of hunts breaking the law in Scotland, it is clear that hunts are routinely and consistently breaking the law. And, the law, and the police are turning blind eye to it been broken.
It is hard to know to what extent hunts are breaking the law. But, prosecutions in England and Wales give us an insight. The International Fund For Wildlife (IFAW) states that there have been 280 successful prosecutions in England and Wales. There are186 registered hunts across Britain. In Scotland, there has been no successful prosecutions against those who have hunted illegally.
What the law needs to do
The laws which surround Fox Hunting need to be a lot more stricter. They should be brought in line with other laws which surround animal welfare and protection, such as The Animal Welfare Act 2002, which has a maximum jail term of 5 years, and the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, of Australia, which has a maximum sentence of seven years.
The Wildlife and Mammals Act and the hunting Act, should come into line with these acts, and give lengthy jail sentences of 5 to 7 years of those who hunt illegally. For two reasons, one, Fox hunting is extremely cruel and barbaric, and two, by making the laws tougher, it would see a significant reduction of Fox Hunting.
Another thing which should happen, is if people are found to be breaking the law of Fox hunting, they should never be allowed to keep another animal again.
The laws banning Fox hunting do not go far enough, and, the prosecutions are far too soft. The worrying thing in Scotland is, is that there seems to be no prosecutions.
Hunting of any kind has no place in a civilized country, in the 21st century. There are so many things which people can do in this day and age, so many hobbies and past times which people can spend their time doing, which doesn't involve killing or torturing animals for hours (like Fox Hunting does).
It should also be made illegal to drag hunt. Drag hunting in itself seems harmless enough, they are only chasing a Fox scent, not an actual Fox, so there is not a problem, right? Wrong. What drag hunting does is encourage dogs to hunt that scent - these dogs don't know the difference between a scent, or a Fox - therefore, if and when these dogs come across a real scent, they will chase it, until they find the Fox. And, kill the Fox the way a normal hunt would.
You can help strengthen the Scottish law on Fox Hunting, or give your opinion that there should be an outright ban. Go here: http://www.gov.scot/About/Review/protection-wild-mammals