Brown hares have declined by 80% since the 1950s; hare coursing — now illegal in Britain — caused significant welfare harm and pressure on populations.
Hare coursing causes acute welfare harm: dogs pursuing hares cause terror, exhaustion, and death from injuries inflicted by dogs or from myopathy (capture myopathy) following extreme exertion. Even hares that escape coursing may die subsequently from stress-related physiological collapse. Illegal coursing gangs use lurchers and greyhounds specifically bred and trained for the activity; the welfare impact on the hares they pursue is severe. Beyond coursing, hare welfare is also threatened by agricultural intensification, loss of hedgerows, and spring harvesting that destroys leveret habitat. Supporting organisations that combat illegal coursing and restore hare habitat addresses both direct and indirect welfare threats.