Traditional fox hunting with hounds involves a prolonged chase that causes extreme physiological and psychological stress to the hunted animal, raising fundamental welfare concerns about the practice.
The welfare concerns with fox hunting center on the fear and physiological stress of prolonged pursuit, followed by death from hound attack rather than rapid killing. Research on prey animal stress responses confirms that prolonged chases involve extreme fear states. Even in modified forms where a scent trail is followed, route disturbance affects wild animals including pregnant and nursing foxes in their dens during spring hunting seasons.