This week in Parliament, Richard presented a Bill on Hares (Closed Season) which will have its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 21 January 2022. The Bill aims to establish a closed season during which the killing or taking of hares is prohibited and to repeal the seasonal prohibition of the sale of hares in the Hares Preservation Act 1892.
Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire, said:
Many will be aware that my Private Members' Bill on Hare Coursing aims to combat the scourge of Hare Coursing which blights our rural communities, is perpetrated by ruthless criminal gangs and causes fear and intimidation for farmers and the destruction of crops and perimeter fencing.
Earlier this week I took further steps to protect our native Brown Hare population by introducing a Hares Closed Season Bill. This will make it illegal to hunt hares for a large part of the year, and particularly during the key breeding season and whilst the young are still dependent on their mothers.
Hares are currently an anomaly amongst our game species in not having a closed season for hunting and this Bill seeks to offer them the same protection in law.
You can watch Richard presenting his Bill here. Further information on his Hare Coursing Bill can be found here.
