Warnings that shooting could be 'criminalised' as MLA behind hunting ban proposes outlawing use of more than two gundogs

​The Alliance Party’s John Blair had initially said the laws are not only aimed at fox hunts, but also deer hunting and “other forms of hunting where dogs are used to flush or kill rabbits”.

That prompted concern that there would be an effective ban on shooting with dogs – with participants liable for prosecution. However, Mr Blair now says that is not his intent – and the law is primarily about fox hunting with dogs. The South Antrim MLA has previously said he is “dedicated to opposing all blood sports”.

The Countryside Alliance says the proposals risk criminalising ordinary countryside activity, including shooting and other legitimate field sports, “leaving law-abiding participants exposed to prosecution”.

The TUV has said the proposals are “unnecessary and ideologically driven interference in lawful countryside activity”. Its agriculture spokesperson Cllr Allister Kyle said: “Animal welfare matters — but it must be grounded in evidence, proportionality, and common sense, not virtue signalling or pressure from activist groups.”

The UUP says any proposal to ban hunting with dogs must be subject to rigorous scrutiny – and that some view such measures as “a threat to long standing traditions and effective wildlife management”, a spokesperson said.

They added that the party “remains committed to protecting rural heritage while ensuring humane and effective predator control”.

Speaking to the News Letter, John Blair set out what could be in his private members bill – currently being drafted by Assembly officials.

“It is not the intention of this bill to stop people using dogs to flush out a wild mammal. But we might have to look at the numbers of dogs being used”. He said the legislation would have to define what constitutes a pack of dogs, but in his view that would be more than two – and therefore be prohibited.

“If someone goes out with a gun and a couple of dogs, it is not my intention that they would be disproportionately negatively impacted by this bill, because it is not intended to be aimed – in any way – at traditional gundog hunting”, he said.

“Gundogs, per se, are not at all the focus of this bill”, the Alliance politician said.

Asked if he could guarantee that shooting with gundogs wouldn’t be – intentionally or unintentionally – criminalised, he said the bill is “only targeted at the hunting of wild mammals with dogs, where dogs are used to kill the wild mammal”.

Asked how the law could differentiate between dogs chasing wild mammals in the context of a hunt, or flushing wild mammals out for shooting – Mr Blair said it was down to the “responsible person” on the scene, and their behaviour.

“I don’t think most gundog hunters use more than two dogs. So ‘not more than two dogs’ might be the defining issue here. I need to be really careful that ‘two or three’ becomes ‘four or five’. And ‘four or five’ becomes ‘five or six’. If it’s not a pack of dogs, you’re closing a loophole there”.

He added: “There is no intention, or mention, of gundogs other than a possible provision to point out that where a dog has pursued a wild mammal that has suffered, that wild animal should be put out of its misery by the responsible people there”, he said.

“The bill could ensure that the person is not breaking the law as long as that wild mammal is destroyed by a gun as soon as is practically possible. We are considering all of these factors”, the Alliance MLA said.

Gary McCartney from Countryside Alliance Ireland said: “Mr Blair’s proposal to ban the use of ‘more than two dogs’ repeats the same flaw from his last bill, which defined hunting as ‘any case where a wild mammal is pursued by one or more persons and one or more dogs are employed in that pursuit’.

“That broad wording was widely criticised because it risked criminalising ordinary countryside activity, including shooting and other legitimate field sports, leaving law-abiding participants exposed to prosecution.

“The same risk clearly remains. Many legitimate shooting activities, including pest control and walked-up shooting, routinely involve more than two dogs at different points in the day.

“Relying on the judgement of a ‘responsible person on the scene’ offers little legal certainty and leaves ordinary, law‑abiding countryside users exposed to prosecution based on subjective interpretation”.