An Open Letter to the Government of Ireland
This document is published as an open letter to the Government of Ireland in response to the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025, which is currently before Dáil Éireann.
I am writing as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist with academic training in zoology and equine science, and professional experience working with canine and equine behavioural and welfare cases across Ireland. The purpose of this letter is to contribute an evidence-led, welfare-focused perspective to the public discussion around fox hunting, and to address a number of common claims made in its defence.
This submission examines fox hunting through the lenses of animal behaviour, welfare science, psychology, ethics, and public interest. It focuses not on personal attacks or tradition, but on whether the arguments commonly used to justify fox hunting stand up to evidence, and whether they align with Ireland’s stated commitments to animal welfare and ethical governance.
I am making this document publicly available to ensure transparency, to support informed discussion, and to encourage respectful civic engagement. If you are reading this and wish to engage with the legislative process, I have included information below on how to contact your local TD.
How You Can Engage
If you support evidence-based animal welfare policy, you can contact your local TD to share your views on the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025.
You can find contact details for your local TDs here: 👉 https://www.contactyourtd.ie/
Below is a short email template you may copy, edit, and send if you wish.
Subject: Support for the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025
Dear [Deputy’s name],
I am writing as a constituent to express my support for the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025 currently before the Dáil. I believe this legislation represents an important step in aligning Irish law with modern animal welfare standards and public values. I would encourage you to support the Bill as it progresses. Thank you for taking the time to consider my views.
Kind regards, [Your name] [Your town / county]
Listen to the Blog-Cast:
Human and Animal behavioural impacts on Welfare due to Fox Hunting in Ireland
I am writing this submission as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist with formal academic training in Zoology (BSc) and Equine Science (MSc), and professional experience working as a canine and equine behavioural clinician (Clinical Animal Behaviourist, ABTC/APBC) and welfare cases across Ireland. My work involves assessing behaviour, stress, learning, welfare outcomes, and human–animal interactions in both domestic and working contexts.
I am providing this document to outline professional, evidence-led concerns regarding fox hunting in Ireland, and to explain why, from a behavioural science and animal welfare perspective, I support the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025.
I respectfully urge you, as my local TD, to support this Bill.
This submission focuses on common arguments made in favour of fox hunting I often see in my work in equine sports and examines whether those arguments stand up to scrutiny, behavioural, ethical and welfare research (which the majority do not, according to the available science) when considered through the lenses of animal behaviour, welfare science, psychology, ethics, as well public interest and mental health and community support.
Hunting with Dogs & Quarry Welfare
“Without Fox Hunting, These Animals Would Not Exist”
A common argument used to defend fox hunting is that hounds/dogs (and horses) would cease to exist if the practice were banned. This framing presents a false dilemma: that continued animal use is the only alternative to destruction. This is a straw mans argument.
From an ethical and welfare standpoint, this argument is flawed. Ending a specific practice does not necessitate killing the animals involved. When the motor car replaced horses, when modern war vehicles replaced the horse after WW2, when agricultural vehicles replaced the horse in Irish farming. The horse was not made extinct in Irish culture, this is because the love of the animal transcended their economical value. The horses value goes beyond that animals use for the Irish people. The same is true of canines (dogs), the majority of dogs in Irish culture today are pets, their value is worth more than their economic value.
Alternatives such as changes in breeding practices, rehoming, repurposing for non-lethal activities, or managed population reduction over time are routinely used in other contexts where practices are phased out.
Treating animals as having value only if they serve a human function undermines their status as sentient beings. Welfare-based policy should focus on reducing harm and increasing accountability, not perpetuating harmful practices to justify continued existence.
Welfare & Stress Physiology (Horses), Learned Helplessness & Behaviour
“Fox Hunting Makes Horses Brave and Confident”
It is often claimed that fox hunting is an effective way to train horses, producing bravery and confidence that transfers to other equestrian disciplines. behavioural science does not support this claim.
This is incorrect. (References supporting these claims are provided below)
Horses are prey animals whose primary evolutionary response to perceived threat is flight. Hunting environments typically involve high levels of arousal (hormonal, often tipping into distress), speed of the chase, noise of the chase, crowding of horses and spectators alike, and pressure from riders to perform. Elevated adrenaline and cortisol indicate stress, not learning or confidence.
Learning is inhibited under high stress. What is frequently labelled as ‘bravery’ is more accurately explained by flooding followed by learned helplessness, where the animal ceases resistance due to lack of control rather than genuine confidence. This state carries significant welfare risks and increases the likelihood of injury, to horse and rider (supported by the research).
Ethical training that builds confidence relies on controlled exposure, choice, predictability, and the ability to disengage.
Hunting environments do not meet these criteria.
Mental Health & Nature Exposure
“Fox Hunting Is Good for Mental Health and Builds Resilience”
Arguments in favour of fox hunting frequently cite benefits to mental wellbeing, resilience, and personal development in humans. While time in nature, physical activity, and social connection are beneficial to mental health, none of these outcomes depend on fox hunting.
Claims that fear is overcome by simply forcing oneself through frightening situations misrepresent established psychological principles. Evidence-based approaches to fear reduction rely on gradual exposure, agency, and predictability. Overwhelming exposure, known as flooding, is associated with harm rather than resilience.
From an ethical perspective, supporting human wellbeing by subjecting animals to stress, injury, or death raises serious concerns. Mental health promotion must not rely on practices that cause harm to sentient beings who cannot consent.
Social Policy & Community Participation
“Fox Hunting Teaches Responsibility and Builds Family Bonds”
Fox hunting is often defended as a means of teaching children responsibility, empathy, and commitment through animal care. These values are important, but they are not dependent on hunting.
Caring for animals, learning husbandry, and developing responsibility can occur entirely outside the context of hunting. Framing hunting as necessary for these outcomes creates a false exclusivity that normalises animal use rather than genuine care.
There is a critical distinction between teaching responsibility through empathy and care, and teaching responsibility through the instrumental use of animals. Welfare-focused education prioritises respect for animals as sentient individuals, not as tools for human development.
“Fox Hunting Is Vital for Rural Community and Social Cohesion”
Fox hunting is frequently presented as essential to rural community life and social cohesion. While community and connection are vital, these benefits do not arise from hunting itself.
Participation in fox hunting requires substantial financial, social, and cultural capital, placing it beyond the reach of most people. Presenting it as representative of rural Ireland risks overlooking issues of access, exclusion, and inequality that are already well recognised in rural policy.
EQUALITY When community life becomes dependent on private, exclusionary activities, this reflects a failure of public infrastructure rather than a justification for maintaining harmful traditions.
Inclusive, ethical community-building should be supported through public policy without relying on animal harm.
Rural social cohesion is a legitimate policy goal, but the evidence base frames loneliness and isolation as structural and service, related problems, best addressed through inclusive community infrastructure rather than reliance on exclusive, high-cost activities.
Public Interest and Legislative Context
The Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025 reflects growing recognition that organised fox hunting is incompatible with modern animal welfare standards. Public opinion polling in Ireland has consistently shown strong majority support for a ban, with opposition representing a clear minority.
Legislation exists to set ethical boundaries, particularly where vulnerable and voiceless beings are concerned. Horses, hounds, and foxes cannot consent to their use, cannot opt out, and cannot be represented in political debate. Their welfare must therefore be central to legislative decision-making.
Additional Legislative and International Context
It is also relevant to note that Ireland would not be acting in isolation by introducing this legislation. Comparable jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, have already enacted bans on hunting wild mammals with dogs on animal welfare grounds.
At a European level, Ireland is a signatory to, and has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to, principles recognising animals as sentient beings whose welfare must be protected through proportionate regulation. The proposed ban is therefore consistent with broader EU animal welfare frameworks and with Ireland’s own stated commitments to advancing animal welfare standards in law and policy.
Viewed in this context, the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025 represents an evolution of existing welfare protections rather than a radical departure from established norms.
Summary
- Claims that hunting ‘builds confidence’ are inconsistent with evidence that high-arousal equine sport contexts are associated with stress physiology (e.g., increased cortisol/altered HRV) and that ‘compliance’ can reflect learned helplessness rather than confidence.
- The mental health benefits cited in support of hunting (exercise, fresh air, social contact) are strongly supported in the literature as beneficial in themselves, without requiring the pursuit and killing of wildlife.
- Where responsibility, routine and family bonding are the goals, these are achievable through non-harm activities (equine husbandry, volunteering, Pony Club/club riding, conservation work) and do not logically depend on pursuing and killing wildlife.
- Rural social cohesion is a legitimate policy goal, but the evidence base frames loneliness and isolation as structural and service-related problems, best addressed through inclusive community infrastructure rather than reliance on exclusive, high-cost activities.
Conclusion
From a professional animal behaviour and welfare perspective, the arguments commonly used to defend fox hunting do not withstand evidence-based scrutiny.
The human benefits cited, community, wellbeing, responsibility, tradition, can all be achieved without subjecting animals to harm.
The proposed ban represents a proportionate, ethical response that aligns legislation with contemporary understanding of animal welfare and public values. I strongly encourage support for the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025.
I would be happy to provide further clarification or professional input if required.
With best wishes,
Barbara J. Hardman BSc Hon, MSc Dis, Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB) and Equitation Science Coach
Tel: +353 85 143 8688 Email: barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie Web: https://www.brighthound.ie/ Web: https://www.brighthorse.ie/
References
- Bateson, P. & Bradshaw, E. (1997) Physiological effects of hunting red deer (Cervus elaphus), Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
- Burns Inquiry (2000) Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales. London: HMSO.
- Fureix, C., et al. (2012) ‘Towards an ethological animal model of depression? A study in domestic horses’, PLoS ONE, 7(12).
- Hall, C., Goodwin, D., Heleski, C., Randle, H. & Waran, N. (2008) Is there evidence of learned helplessness in horses?, Animal Welfare.
- König von Borstel, U., et al. (2017) ‘Indicators of stress in equitation’, Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
- Lewinski, M. von et al. (2013) ‘Cortisol release, heart rate and heart rate variability in horses during equestrian performance’, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
- McGreevy, P.D. & McLean, A. (2010) Equitation science. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Mental Health Foundation (2022) Nature and mental health research report.
- Peddie, L., et al. (2024) ‘Outdoor exercise and mental wellbeing: a systematic review’, Journal of Outdoor Psychology (in press).
- Sport Ireland (2007) Fair Play? Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland. Dublin: Sport Ireland.
- Turner, K., et al. (2025) ‘Green exercise and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, Environmental Psychology. (in press).
- World Horse Welfare (2025) Training, how do horses learn?
