Hare coursing — using dogs to chase hares for sport or gambling — was banned under the Hunting Act 2004 but continues illegally. It causes significant individual animal welfare harm and population-level impacts in arable farmland.
Hare coursing causes acute individual welfare harm: hares chased by coursing dogs experience extreme fear, exhaustion and physical injury including severe lacerations and broken legs before death. Animals that escape may die later from injury or shock. Repeated chasing over the same field creates cumulative welfare impacts on the local hare population. Police enforcement of the Hunting Act is challenging in remote arable areas but has improved with GPS tracking of known coursers and intelligence-led operations. Landowners who inadvertently permit access for coursing face civil liability. Hare coursing's continued occurrence despite prohibition reflects the need for stronger sanctions including vehicle seizure and larger financial penalties.