FOUR PAWS UK is delighted that this important Bill has successfully completed its Second Reading in the House of Commons and achieved Government support. We are hugely grateful to John Spellar MP for his tireless work pushing this legislation forward in Parliament, and to all the MPs who supported the Bill today.

Hunting trophies are a barbaric reminder of the callous and cruel nature of this so-called ‘sport’. Wild animals shot dead, so that wealthy tourists can hang a memento of their grisly killing trips on their walls. Future generations will surely learn about this in their history books and be horrified that this practice was ever permitted.

While this Bill won’t actively prevent trophy hunting, it will stop British hunters from bringing the mementos of their gruesome hunts back into Great Britain. This is an important step, and one which would effectively end British complicity in this cruel ‘sport’. By banning the import of these abhorrent trophies, the government will send a strong message to potential hunters - your spoils are not welcome here. We hope this will serve as a deterrent to any Brits who are considering a holiday in which killing for fun is on the itinerary.

Now, we look forward to the Committee Stage being scheduled as quickly as possible so that this important legislation can progress through Parliament and into law. That cannot happen soon enough, and we urge parliamentarians across the House to stand together alongside John Spellar and the Government, to get the ban done, and as quickly as possible.

Sonul Badiani-Hamment, Country Director, FOUR PAWS UK