From our dogs and cats to wildlife, nature and the world around us, we believe there is always more to learn about the planet we share and the challenges it faces.
Because of this, we invite organisations whose work aligns with our values to share their knowledge, experience and ideas with our community. We hope their insights inspire you to learn something new, try something different, share an idea or find a way to get involved.
In this post, we hear from David Bassom from League Against Cruel Sports, who shares how they are working to protect wildlife and bring an end of cruelty to animals in the name of ‘sport’.
The League Against Cruel Sports work to end the persecution of animals in the name of ‘sport’. We campaign to end the hunting and shooting of animals, as well as other forms of abuse, such as organised dog fighting.
In addition to working to bring about changes in legislation that help protect animals, we also investigate and expose animal cruelty, and operate Animal Crimewatch – a free service which allows members of the public to report cases of animal abuse related to cruel sports. We also run wildlife reserves across the UK which provide a haven for animals and wildlife.
Ending fox hunting
“It’s time for the government to finish the job and ban hunting with dogs for good. The government should now publish its consultation response and bring forward legislation as soon as possible.”
Emma Slawinski, Chief Executive
When the League Against Cruel Sports was founded in 1924, one of its primary aims was to bring about an end to the hunting of animals, including foxes, stags, hares and mink. In 2004, it seemed that we had secured the breakthrough we wanted with the Hunting Act.
But the hunting wasn’t stopped by the Act. In recent years, hunters have increasingly exploited loopholes in the Act to continue their hunts, with League research suggesting over 600 organised hunts took place during the 2025-26 hunting season.
The League’s work to secure a proper ban on the hunting of animals with dogs took a major step forward earlier this year, with the UK Government’s announcement of a public consultation on hunting in England and Wales. We are grateful to everyone who helped get our message across during the consultation, including our friends at Almo Nature.
Following the end of the consultation in June, we are now campaigning to ensure our voices are heard and that a proper ban on hunting follows. We recently attended the party conferences, where we spoke to MPs about the need for the consultation to lead to new legislation and ultimately an end to hunting.
Saving baby gannets
The League is campaigning to protect gannet chicks – known locally as guga – from hunting. For decades, on the remote island of Sula Sgeir in Scotland, guga have been legally hunted and killed under a special exemption in wildlife law.
Following campaigning from the League Against Cruel Sports, Scotland’s nature agency, NatureScot, refused permission for the hunt to go ahead this summer because of concerns about the conservation status of gannets. While that’s welcome news, it isn’t the end of the story. The exemption remains in law – meaning the hunt could return as soon as next year.
The League will continue to campaign for the protection of guga, until they are afforded the same protections as all other seabirds.
You can find out more about the guga hunt and our work to end it, and view a film about our recent visit to Sula Sgeir
“We’re calling on the government to close the loophole that has let up to 2,000 young birds on this tiny island be killed annually. The guga hunt should come to an end.”
Robbie Marsland, Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland
Operation Lakeshot
The League has joined forces with the National Wildlife Crime Unit and other animal welfare charities to tackle a rise in catapults being used to kill or injure waterfowl. This crime primarily takes place in urban settings and is often shared across social media.
A total of 355 incidents of catapult attacks on wild birds and other animals were reported in the first seven months of 2026 alone. These reports included attacks on wild birds, squirrels, rabbits and domestic pets, who were hit by ball bearings, stones and marbles propelled by catapults.
Russ Middleton, who heads the League’s Intelligence team, says: “The use of powerful catapults shooting steel ball bearings is inflicting catastrophic injuries and killing waterfowl such as swans, geese and ducks in our parks and on our waterways. This cruel practice needs to stop.”
By bringing together reports from wildlife rescues, veterinary professionals, volunteers, police and other partners with our own intelligence, the League is helping reveal where this cruelty is happening, which animals are being targeted and how offenders are operating. And that clearer picture will ultimately help us stop this horrendous cruelty.
Find out more about Operation Lakeshot
Announcing our new President
Broadcaster and environmental campaigner Chris Packham recently joined the League as our new President.
Chris says: “I am a lifelong supporter of The League and am delighted to have this chance to collaborate with them to end cruel sports."
“Fox hunting is a barbaric practice, where people perpetrate cruelty for fun. The League’s approach of working from a strong evidence base, seeking to collaborate with other organisations and speaking truth to power gives me the confidence that together we can consign these animal abuses to the history books.”
Earlier this year, Chris was among the speakers at the League’s anti-hunting rally in London, where he was joined by presenter Megan McCubbin, actor Peter Egan and hundreds of supporters from the League and other animal welfare charities. As our President, Chris will now continue to champion the need to end animal hunting, shooting and fighting.
Join the movement
The work of the League Against Cruel Sports is only made possible by the commitment and kindness of our supporters. As a community of campaigners, donors and members of the League, our supporters drive our progress towards creating a world free from cruelty to animals in the name of ‘sport’. Find out more on the League’s website, or follow us on social media.
Nothing justifies hunting.
At Almo Nature and Fondazione Capellino, we believe that nothing justifies hunting.
We're proud to have joined the Business Without Blood Sports pledge, reflecting our commitment to animal welfare and responsible business practices. We're particularly proud to stand alongside those working to strengthen protections for animals and wildlife, here in the UK and beyond..
Our commitment is closely connected to our mission to safeguard wildlife and biodiversity, and give back to nature what is taken through production.
Through the Reintegration Economy, we support projects that protect biodiversity, restore habitats and help nature thrive for the benefit of all life.
We believe that protecting wildlife means working towards a better balance between nature and human activity, and we will continue to support the League Against Cruel Sports wherever we can in its efforts to strengthen protections for wildlife.