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Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. The Act’s Purpose

  3. Detailed Provisions

    1. Part 1: Hunting a wild mammal using a dog

      1. Section 1: Offence of hunting a wild mammal using a dog

      2. Section 2: Offences of knowingly causing or permitting another person to hunt using a dog

      3. Section 3: Exception: management of wild mammals above ground

      4. Section 4: Licence for use of more than two dogs in connection with section 3

      5. Section 5: Exception: management of foxes below ground

      6. Section 6: Exception: falconry, game shooting and deer stalking

      7. Section 7: Exception: relieving the suffering of injured wild mammals

      8. Section 8: Exception: searching for dead wild mammals

      9. Section 9: Exception: environmental benefit

      10. Section 10: Licence for use of more than two dogs in connection with section 9

      11. Section 11: Delegation of functions in relation to licences

      12. Section 12: Offence of providing false information to obtain a licence

      13. Section 13: Review of operation of sections 4 and 10

    2. Part 2: Trail hunting

      1. Section 14: Offences relating to trail hunting

      2. Section 15: Power to modify meaning of trail hunting

      3. Section 16: Exception: training dogs to follow an animal-based scent

    3. Part 3: Further provision relating to offences

      1. Section 17: Search of a person without warrant

      2. Section 18: Powers of enforcement

      3. Section 19: Time limit for summary proceedings

      4. Section 20: Individual culpability where organisation commits an offence

      5. Section 21: Deprivation orders

      6. Section 22: Disqualification orders

      7. Section 23: Seizure orders where disqualification breached

      8. Section 24: Termination or variation of disqualification

      9. Section 25: Appeals against orders

    4. Part 4: General provisions

      1. Section 26: Ancillary provision

      2. Section 27: Interpretation

      3. Section 28: Repeal of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 and consequential modifications

      4. Section 29: Crown application: criminal offences

      5. Section 30: Crown application: powers of entry

      6. Section 31: Commencement

      7. Section 32: Short title

    5. Schedule: Enforcement powers

  4. Parliamentary History

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

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