fox penning

A bill declaring fox pen hunting to be a folklife heritage of the state of Louisiana was signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal on Monday, June 9. Officially incorporated into Louisiana’s culture, fox pen hunting will be preserved under the provisions of the bill. The bill faced criticism, but one representative who supported the measure said that the sport goes back to Charlemagne and has been practiced in the state for years. The bill’s sponsor promoted it as a pro-hunting measure. Click for more details in Picayune Times article. Posted June 11, 2014

A plan to phase out fox pens in the Commonwealth over a forty-year period was endorsed by the Agricultural Committee of the Virginia House of Delegates yesterday. The Richmond Times-Dispatch characterized the 18-3 vote as significant, since the House has traditionally been more reluctant than the Senate to interfere with foxhound training pens. Under the approved plan, fox pens would be allowed to continue to operate for the next forty years, but no new pens would be allowed to open. Foxhound training pens are used by many hunts around the country as a part of their puppy training program. The pens are also used by individuals who simply enjoy running their hounds. Foxes are provided with refuges within the pen to allow them to escape hounds when pressed. There are rules that limit the number of hounds that may be in a pen at any one time. In addition to the use of fox pens for training, pens have also been used for foxhound field trials. Last year the Virginia Senate banned competition in fox pens. The state of Florida has already banned the operation of fox pens. Posted February 27, 2014

The proposed measure in the Virginia General Assembly to ban fox penning has been shelved for a year. More than an hour of testimony was presented to the Senate Agriculture Committee at a meeting crowded with animal rights advocates and pro-hunting forces. Supporters of the bill argued that the practice is inhumane and often ends in the death of the fox. Hunters maintained that it’s a safe and secure way to train young hounds, and that escape earths are provided to ensure the safety of the fox. Hunters also said that the practice has been wrongfully portrayed. The purpose, they maintain, is to train hounds—not to kill foxes. Senators expressed confusion at the wide variance in how fox pens are portrayed by the opposing sides. Bob Duncan, Director of Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, who has visited fox pens, said that while the pens aren’t as portrayed by some proponents of the bill, there are probably improvements that could be made in the protocol for the benefit of the foxes, and he was certain that responsible hunters would work with the department to achieve those ends. Action on the bill was continued to 2013. Read Chelyen Davis’s complete article in The Free Lance-Star. Posted February 14, 2012

The News Virginian reports that proposals in the General Assembly would ban fox penning. Some hunt clubs use fox pens to train young hounds to hunt the proper quarry. Other foxhound enthusiasts use the pens to conduct competitive field trials. Identical proposals for banning the practice have been introduced by Senator David W. Marsden, D-Fairfax and Delegate Kenneth R. Plum, D-Fairfax. Supporters of the ban claim that it is a cruel sport that ends with penned foxes being killed by hounds. There are thirty-four state-licensed fox pens currently active in Virginia. Under state licensing rules, pens must be no less than one hundred acres in size with holes into which foxes can hide or escape. Other safeguards for the health and protection of the penned foxes are mandated by the licensing rules. The pens are regulated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Laura Donahue, Virginia Director of the Humane Society of the United States calls fox penning Virginia’s most shamefully kept secret. HSUS and the Richmond SPCA are among the groups fighting fox penning in Virginia. HSUS says there are about twenty other states in the country that allow fox penning. Florida, where coyote penning was also allowed, banned the practice in 2010. For more details, see Rex Springston’s article. Posted January 24, 2012

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has banned the use of enclosures in the hunting of fox or coyote with hounds. The decision, made at a commission meeting on Wednesday, September 1, made permanent the temporary ban instituted in February. The ban is the result of complaints concerning at least one pen owner’s non-compliance with requirements and game laws. Hounds may still be used to chase foxes and coyotes in the open. One such venue is Eglin Air Force Base, where a fox and coyote season for chasing runs from May 15 to August 31. Foxhound training pens are used by many hunts around the country as a part of their puppy training program. The pens are also used by individuals who simply enjoy running their hounds. Foxes (or coyotes) are provided with refuges within the pen to allow them to escape hounds when pressed. There are rules that limit the number of hounds that may be in a pen at any one time. The Florida Commissioners considered possible new rules but decided they would be unenforceable. Jeff Barker’s article in the Panama City News Herald has more.September 12, 2010

June 24, 2010The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission on Wednesday decided to close all fox pens in that state. Legal text for the ban is expected to be drafted in September, with the actual closures not occurring until next year. The Humane Society of the United States along with other animal rights organizations argued that hunting in fox pens was akin to dog fighting. Hunters felt that their position was not fairly heard. Read Julie Watkins’ report in Jacksonville’s Action News for more details.