More than 430 convictions for hunting have been secured since 2010, figures reveal amid calls to strengthen the law before this year’s Boxing Day parades.
Labour, which introduced legislation to tackle fox hunting in 2004, has vowed to toughen up the Hunting Act to close a “loophole”.
Jim McMahon, the shadow environment secretary, wants to outlaw “trail hunting”, which generally consists of allowing hounds to follow a scent laid down with a rag.
Labour said the activity was used as a “smokescreen” for illegal activity.
Official figures compiled by the party show 438 convictions were secured since 2010 under the act, which banned hunting wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales. Among those, 42 convictions were from last year.
The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) also said there had been 303 reports of either suspected illegal hunting or hunt “havoc” – such as trespass, road interference and disturbing animals – over the five weeks up to 7 December.
Ministers in Westminster, however, have no plans to strengthen the legislation.
McMahon said the government should “do more to close the loopholes that allow people to break the law” and consign hunting “to the history books”.
He called Labour “the party of animal welfare” and said in government it would put an end to trail hunting.
Emma Judd, campaigns chief at the LACS, said the figures about hunting convictions showed the practice had a “negative impact” on rural communities.
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