ABSTRACT
The hunting of wild mammals with hounds is one of the most controversial political issues in contemporary Britain. For supporters, hunting forms an essential part of rural life; to opponents it is a barbaric and cruel sport, violating the rights of animals. In November 1997 the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill was presented to the British Parliament by the Labour MP Michael Foster, and, if it had become law, would have made hunting with hounds illegal. As the newly elected Parliament was calculated for the first time to have a large anti-hunting majority, the bill was considered to have a realistic chance of success. It eventually fell victim to parliamentary procedure, having failed to secure enough debating time to allow its completion, but not before provoking a vociferous public debate about hunting.
