Wildlife

Wild Brown Hare Coursing Welfare

Illegal coursing of hares by dogs causes suffering on a large scale despite legal prohibition in the UK since 2004.

Key Facts

Hare coursing was banned in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004
Despite the ban, organized illegal coursing continues on agricultural land, particularly in eastern England
Coursed hares are chased to exhaustion before being caught and killed by dogs
Coursing gangs trespass on farmland, intimidate landowners, and cause economic damage
Police operations including Operation Apollo have made thousands of arrests but coursing continues

Welfare Considerations

Hares subject to illegal coursing experience extreme fear, physical exhaustion, and painful death from dog injuries. The scale of illegal coursing represents a major ongoing welfare violation affecting thousands of hares annually.

What You Can Do

Report suspected hare coursing to police on 999 or 101
Support organizations campaigning for stronger enforcement of the Hunting Act
Donate to police wildlife crime units working to disrupt organized coursing gangs