Hare Coursing and Wildlife Crime Welfare

Hare coursing was made illegal in England under the Hunting Act 2004, but continues as a significant wildlife crime causing severe welfare harm to brown hares.

Key Facts

Illegal hare coursing involves setting dogs to chase and catch or kill hares for entertainment or gambling
Brown hares suffer severe welfare harm through physical injury, exhaustion, and terror during coursing
The National Wildlife Crime Unit and police forces across England pursue hare coursing prosecutions
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 increased penalties for hare coursing offences
Organised gangs with high-value dogs engage in large-scale coursing events in rural areas
Hare population recovery is hampered by ongoing illegal coursing as well as habitat loss
Landowners and farmers suffer trespass, intimidation, and property damage from coursing gangs

Welfare Considerations

Hare coursing causes intense and prolonged suffering to individual animals who are chased to exhaustion or death for human entertainment. The welfare harm is severe, direct, and deliberate. Supporting enforcement efforts and reporting suspicious activity is a direct contribution to hare welfare. Public intolerance of wildlife crime must be maintained and amplified.

What You Can Do

Report suspected hare coursing to police through 999 (in progress) or 101 (after the fact)
Support the National Wildlife Crime Unit and organisations monitoring wildlife crime
Advocate for continued strengthening of penalties for hare coursing offences
Share information about hare coursing welfare impacts to maintain public intolerance
Support legal landowners in their efforts to deter coursing through security improvements