Freedom of Information Request - Hunting with Dogs
Date: 24 February 2025
Our ref: SIR178973/A5014383
Information Request – Hunting with Dogs
Your Request
As the new legislation requires that a licence to use more than two dogs can only be granted if it has been proven that all other methods of control had failed.
We want to know:-
What theses methods are?
Who oversees that they have been used?
Who makes the decision that all other methods of control have been exhausted?
Who makes the decision to grant a licence?
How many cases of illegal hunting have been reported to you by the public?
What action if any you have taken to investigate these reports?
How many licences have bee revoked?
What undercover monitoring of the licence applicants have you undertaken to ensure the conditions of the licence have been complied with?
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Licensing Team, and we have responded to each of your questions as follows:
As the new legislation requires that a licence to use more than two dogs can only be granted if it has been proven that all other methods of control had failed.
Q - What these methods are?
For Preventing Serious Damage applications:
Do nothing.
Shooting using a firearm or shotgun (including at night).
Housing or other protection of livestock during vulnerable periods.
Using fences to exclude foxes from livestock.
These are the minimum satisfactory alternatives by which we assess each licence, however, as each licencing situation is unique, we encourage any novel alternatives that could also be attempted e.g. guardian animals.
For Environmental Benefit applications:
Do nothing.
Shooting using a firearm or shotgun (including at night).
Using fences to exclude foxes from the vulnerable species.
Q - Who oversees that they have been used?
The applicant supplies evidence in their application of the satisfactory alternatives they have used, and they must sign the declaration statement (copied below) in their application, acknowledging that it is an offence to supply false information to gain or attempt to gain a licence.
Section J: Declaration
- I understand that it is an offence under The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 to knowingly or recklessly provide false information in order to obtain a licence, and I declare that the particulars given in this application and any accompanying documents are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I apply for a licence in accordance with these particulars.
- I understand that failure to comply with any conditions included on any licence granted in respect of this application may constitute an offence.
Q - Who makes the decision that all other methods of control have been exhausted?
The licensing officer assessing the application, with advice from Wildlife Management Officers and senior licensing officers.
Q - Who makes the decision to grant a licence?
The licensing officer assessing the application, with advice from Wildlife Management Officers and senior licensing officers.
Q - How many cases of illegal hunting have been reported to you by the public?
Six incidents of suspected illegal hunting with dogs have been reported by the public.
Q - What action if any you have taken to investigate these reports?
When members of the public report activity which they suspect is illegal/unlicensed, they are instructed to call Police Scotland on 101 and to ask for the local Wildlife Crime Officer. The Wildlife Crime Officer would then contact NatureScot Licensing to confirm whether a licence was in place for the activity.
Q - How many licences have been revoked?
No licences have been revoked.
Q - What undercover monitoring of the licence applicants have you undertaken to ensure the conditions of the licence have been complied with?
NatureScot do not undertake undercover monitoring of licensable activities.
Hunting With Dogs licences receive 100% desk top compliance against Annex II of the licence when notification of activity is received by the NatureScot licencing team. Compliance monitoring site visits are carried out on a percentage of these activities.
Although we intend to attend as many sites as possible, due to capacity/resources we are not always able to do this. As part of desk top compliance, we also request GPS dog collar data. Finally, 100% of submitted returns are compliance checked against the Annex II and the licence itself. If any breaches of licence conditions are identified, these are then further assessed by the NatureScot Compliance Monitoring Team. If any wildlife crimes are thought to have occurred these are then referred to Police Scotland.
The Annex II is a document issued with each licence which lists activities permitted per each area of cover, dictates how many dogs/guns are allowed for each area, and the specific dates that the activity can be carried out as per the conditions and restrictions of the licence.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
