Petition Protect hares and their young from shooting during the breeding season

We call on the Government to stop the shooting of hares during their peak breeding season, by establishing a legally enforceable close season for hares in England and Wales, from 1st February to 30th September.

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Hares are the only game species in England and Wales that can be shot all year round. It has been reported that the UK brown hare population could have fallen by more than 80% in the past 100 years. Shooting hares in the breeding season leaves dependent young to starve to death. Scotland introduced a close season over a decade ago. Many European countries already protect hares this way. We believe the Government must act now: for animal welfare and for biodiversity.

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1,637 signatures

Progress of the petition towards its next target: 1,637 of 10,000 signatures required to get a government response

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Created by Chloe Dalton
Deadline 29 October 2025 All petitions run for 6 months
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