Publication - Consultation analysis
Hunting with dogs: consultation analysis
Key themes to emerge from our consultation on the use of dogs to control foxes and other wild mammals in Scotland.
Annex 3: Question response rates (substantive responses only)
The table below shows the number of substantive (personalised) responses received, and the percentage of all substantive responses, for each consultation question.
| Question number | Question | Number of responses | % of total 9,790 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In situations where the use of dogs is permitted, including searching for or flushing a wild mammal to waiting guns, do you think the Scottish Government should limit the number of dogs that can be used to two? [Yes / No / Don't know] | 9,701 | 99% |
| 2 | If a two dog limit were to be introduced, should the Scottish Government introduce licensing arrangements to allow the use of more than two dogs in certain circumstances? [Yes / No / Don't know] | 9,694 | 99% |
| If you answered yes, please briefly explain the circumstances under which more than two dogs would be needed. | 2,296 | 23% | |
| 3 | If licensing arrangements to permit more than two dogs in certain circumstances were to be introduced, should there be a limit to the number of dogs that could be used? E.g. no more than four dogs, six dogs etc.[Max. number [insert] / No limit / Don't know] | 9,388 | 96% |
| 4 | Do you agree that the Scottish Government should ban trail hunting? For the purposes of this consultation we are defining trail hunting as: 'The hunting of a scent laid manually in such a way as best to simulate traditional mounted hunting activity. The trail is laid along the line a fox might take when moving across the countryside. Trail hunters use animal-based scent, primarily fox urine, a scent with which the hounds are familiar and with which it is intended they should remain familiar.' [Yes / No / Don't know] | 9,755 | 100% |
| 5 | Other than for the purpose of laying a trail for sport as outlined in question 4, are you aware of any other activities or circumstances which may necessitate the setting of an animal-based or artificial scent for dogs to follow? [Yes / No / Don't know] | 9,572 | 98% |
| If you answered yes to question 5, please explain the reason for your answer here. | 1,469 | 15% | |
| 6 | For the purposes of this Bill do you agree with the current definition of wild mammal? [Yes / No/ Don't know] | 9,696 | 99% |
| 7 | If you answered no to question 6, do you think that:
|
4,635 4,358 895 910 | 47% 45% 9% 9% |
| Please add any further comments on this section here. | 1,371 | 14% | |
| 8 | For the purposes of this Bill, do you agree that a person should be allowed to use dogs to stalk, search and flush wild mammals for the purpose of controlling the number of a 'pest' species? The 2002 Act permits the use of dogs to flush from cover or from below ground for a number of different purposes including the purpose of 'controlling the number of a pest species'. The 2002 Act defines pest species as: foxes, hares, mink, stoats and weasels. [Yes / No/ Don't know] | 9,750 | 100% |
| 9 | For the purposes of this Bill do you agree with this definition of pest species?
|
9,729 | 99% |
| 10 | If you answered no to question 9, do you think that:
|
518 669 1,279 645 5,746 | 5% 7% 13% 7% 59% |
| Please add any further comments on this section here. | 1,679 | 17% | |
| 11 | Do you think the current legislation provides sufficient protection in order to tackle hare coursing in Scotland? [Yes / No / Don't know] | 9,683 | 99% |
| Please explain the reason for your answer here. | 4,391 | 45% | |
| 12 | If you have any other comments on the proposals we have set out in sections one to four of this consultation or if there are any further measures relating to the hunting of wild mammals with dogs that you think we should consider please provide them here. | 4,322 | 44% |
Contact
Email: philippa.james@gov.scot
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