Fox hunting with hounds involves the pursuit, exhaustion, and killing of foxes. In the UK it was banned in 2004, but enforcement is contested and trail hunting continues. The welfare case for the ban is strong.
The welfare cost of fox hunting is well-documented: foxes experience extreme fear during pursuit, often running to exhaustion before being caught. Death by hounds is not instantaneous and typically involves tearing. The chase duration maximises suffering relative to other lethal control methods. Legal hunts post-2004 involving trail hunting have been linked to incidents suggesting live quarry is still pursued. Welfare considerations clearly support the hunting ban.