Wild Justice's latest pointless attack on game shooting

It will come as no surprise to many that Wild Justice has announced that it intends to legally challenge Defra's recently published General Licence for the control of certain wild birds to prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, fisheries or inland waters in England (GL42).

When the General Licence was reissued at the beginning of the year, we welcomed the clarification that gamebirds can be classed as livestock whilst they are dependent on the provision of food, water, or shelter for their survival. This was helpful confirmation that the Licence could be used to prevent serious damage to pheasants and partridges until such time as they are fully released, at which stage they become wild birds.

It is this clarification by Defra, and the lawfulness of the General Licence, that Wild Justice is now challenging, on the grounds that the definition of livestock is significantly wider than that in the Wildlife & Countryside Act. This is despite animals that are kept for the provision and or improvement of shooting being included in the definition of livestock in that Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

Wild Justice's attacks on game shooting and its management practices have become relentless, wasting government resources and public money. They are made regardless of the impact they could have on wildlife and the livelihoods of many, and the Alliance will continue to robustly challenge them.