Brown hare populations have declined by 80% since the 1960s due to agricultural intensification, and hares remain a quarry species subject to hare coursing that raises significant welfare concerns.
Hare welfare is compromised by both habitat inadequacy and illegal persecution. Hares in arable monocultures face food stress in the winter months when green vegetation is scarce. Illegal coursing causes severe distress and often death, with hares pursued until exhausted before being killed by dogs or handlers. Even legal forms of hare population management including mountain hare culling in Scotland for grouse management purposes involve welfare considerations around methods and timing. The brown hare population decline has concentrated remaining animals in areas where they may be more susceptible to coursing.