Why did Parliament pass the law banning the use of dogs in hunting?
The major political parties were forced to consider the issue as part of their election “promises” in response to long term public pressure because of the perceived cruelty of fox hunts, which was considered equal or greater than that involved in other sports which had already been banned because of cruelty issues- such as dog fighting, cock fighting and badger baiting. Many people felt that fox hunting had remained only because of its tendency to be a sport of the rich and the aristocracy, whereas the other “bloodsports” were primarily associated with the lower classes. This idea caused increased tension because it was seemingly proved when several earlier attempts to push the bill through banning the sport were approved by the Commons but fell down in the Lords – which until the mid 1990’s was mostly made up of hereditary title holders- likely to have personal interests in the sport. The bill was officially passed only after the reform of the Second House. Although the hunt is now te
