A ban on the pointless fox hunt is long overdue

Fox hunting involves practices that animal welfare legislation actually prohibits. Earth hunting and the training of earth dogs on live foxes are particularly cruel. But resistance is growing: countless organisations at home and abroad, from the nature and animal welfare sector, are jointly calling for a ban on fox hunting — which scientific evidence shows to be entirely pointless — as the

Editorial Team Wild beim Wild — 7 February 2018

Fox hunting involves practices that animal welfare legislation actually prohibits. The training of earth dogs on live foxes is particularly cruel. But resistance is growing: countless organisations at home and abroad, from the nature and animal welfare sector, are jointly calling for a ban on fox hunting — which scientific evidence shows to be entirely pointless — as the Aktionsbündnis Fuchs writes.

At this time of year, foxes increasingly seek shelter and rest in their earths. They are preparing for the birth of their young, which in rare cases already takes place in January. Recreational hunters exploit this vulnerability during earth hunting, deliberately turning places of refuge into death traps: “Anyone who hears and sees for the first time what earth hunting means is utterly horrified.”

“The mercilessness and brutality with which foxes are pursued cannot be reconciled with the principles of morality, ethics, and animal welfare.”
Heidrun Heidtke, co-initiator of the initiative “Aktionsbündnis Fuchs”

Around 50 organisations have already joined the alliance, which advocates for the protection of foxes.

Earth hunting – one of the cruellest forms of hunting

In earth hunting (Baujagd), a so-called earth dog is tasked with driving the fox out of its den. The fox has no chance: if it flees, it is shot dead or wounded by the hobby hunters waiting outside. If it stays in the den, it must face the dog. This frequently results in biting fights in which the dog, the fox, and any cubs already present are severely injured or killed. If neither the dog nor the fox yields, the hobby hunters dig open the den. The fox is then shot, beaten to death, or torn apart by hunting dogs. Earth hunting is therefore without doubt one of the cruellest forms of hunting. According to two Swiss expert reports, earth hunting constitutes animal cruelty in the legal and ethological sense, which is why it has already been banned in the canton of Thurgau, among others.

No regard for losses: the earth dog in action

Injuries to the earth dog are apparently so “normal” for hobby hunters that they recommend carrying an entire arsenal of first-aid supplies. Sometimes, however, the dog becomes stuck in the den or is buried and dies a slow death by suffocation. All of this is knowingly accepted. Man’s best friend is exploited as a tool in a pointless fight.

What is also little known is that these dogs are specifically trained for earth hunting using live foxes. In so-called artificial den facilities (Schliefenanlagen), foxes are repeatedly subjected to pursuit by a dog through an artificial tunnel system, forcing them to endure mortal fear.

A ban on fox hunting is long overdue

Under the Animal Welfare Act, it is prohibited to set dogs on other animals or to train or test them for aggression using another live animal. Yet this is precisely what is legalised and practised thousands of times over in the context of fox hunting. As numerous scientific studies show, fox hunting as a whole must be regarded as pointless and even counterproductive, since losses are quickly compensated by rising birth rates and immigration from other areas. Year-round protection of foxes, on the other hand, is a proven success, as experience from fox-hunting-free areas demonstrates. Since there is no reasonable justification for fox hunting, there can be absolutely no justification for the suffering caused by earth hunting and earth dog training. More on this: Why hobby hunting fails as a population control measure.

Resistance to hobby hunting

Barbaric folklore or normal hunting method? At least among the Swiss population, earth hunting enjoys little acceptance; this is shown by a representative survey conducted in September 2017 among 1’015 people, carried out by the market research company Demoscope on behalf of the Swiss Animal Protection (STS). 64 percent support a ban, while only 21 percent want to keep earth hunting. Opposition is somewhat stronger among women and those aged 15 to 34. No urban-rural divide exists.

Wild beim Wild calls on those with political responsibility to put an end to this barbaric practice: methods that violate animal welfare must not be legalised for the sake of a pointless hunting activity. A ban on fox hunting is long overdue in general.

Fatal mix-ups also occur repeatedly during fox hunting. In February, yet again, a hobby hunter who has nothing better to do with his time than go fox hunting after work to unwind, shot a protected species.

Further reading: