Compliance 

 (MDBA) Masters of Draghounds & Bloodhounds Alliance Ltd.
HUNTING COMPLIANCE SCHEME

Introduction

1.           The Hunting Compliance Scheme (HCS) has been developed in order to ensure compliance by the Member Hunts of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association (MDBA, or ‘the Association’).

2.           The aim of the HCS is to ensure that all Member Hunts comply with all aspects of ethically hunting either the human ‘clean boot’, or the prepared ‘drag line’.

3.           When Member Hunts of the MDBA use hounds for draghunting or hunting the clean boot, they are to follow the ethical principles of our sport, abiding by the rules of the HCS. In so doing, they freely submit to both routine and unannounced compliance checks of their activities.

General Terms of the Hunting Compliance Scheme

4.           Membership of the HCS is mandatory for Member Hunts of the MDBA.  Only Member Hunts which are members of, and abide by, the Hunting Compliance Scheme may carry out draghunting or the hunting the clean boot under the umbrella of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association.

5.           The MDBA will elect an Association Compliance Officer (ACO) who will chair a Compliance Committee with a minimum of three members.

6.           Members of the HCS must agree that their hounds will take no part in any other hound related sport.

7.           Member Hunts must agree to the rules stated below and must agree to be bound by the decision of the Compliance Committee.

8.           Contravention of, or failure to adhere to, any of the scheme’s rules may result in referral to the MDBA Complaints Members. 

Rules of the Hunting Compliance Scheme

9.           Procedures for Draghunting and Hunting the Clean Boot

a.            Draghounds will follow a scent which must not be of animal origin. A sample of the scent to be used must be lodged with the Association Compliance Officer at the start of each season. A further sample must be provided if that scent is changed or modified at any stage and on request from the compliance committee.

b.           Hunting the clean boot will mean just that. The runner(s) will be hunted by the hounds without the benefit of any scent enhancement.

c.            All routes that the drag will be laid or the clean boot runner will take, must be mapped out in advance and clearly communicated to the person(s) laying the drag, or the lead runner. It is recommended that GPS technology is utilised where possible.

(1)        It is further recommended that the OS Maps application is adopted as the standard for recording and disseminating this material (i.e. as .GPX files).

d.           The routes taken should be chosen in consultation with farmers and landowners, as well as any relevant public bodies. They should at all times seek to avoid any conflict with wildlife, or domestic livestock, adverse effects on farmers crops or other assets, and any conflict with the general public, private or public landowners.

10.        Hounds

a.            Hounds used on the hunting field should be bred and trained specifically to hunt the drag or the clean boot.

b.           In the event that hound(s) which were not bred specifically to hunt the drag or the clean boot are drafted in from non-member packs of the MDBA, e.g. for the purposes of maintaining a healthy breeding programme, they must undergo a period of retraining (not less than four months) prior to any use for draghunting or hunting the clean boot.

c.            Any hound which demonstrates hunting behaviour or practice which contravenes the accepted ethical practices of the Hunting Compliance Scheme must cease to be used for draghunting or hunting the clean boot; being retired in kennels or rehomed as appropriate.

d.           All hounds must be registered in the official MDBA stud book. Hounds born prior to 2020 may only be entered in the stud book following one full season entered to either draghunting, or hunting or the clean boot.

e.            Hounds can be drafted between MDBA Member Hunts in accordance with Section F of the Constitution.

f.            Unusually, but not uniquely, registered draghounds or bloodhounds may switch between disciplines (draghunting, or hunting the clean boot) if they can successfully be retrained. It is not necessary to have a separate registration in this case.

g.           All hounds should be identified on the register by their microchip number.

11.        Roles and Responsibilities

a.            All Member Hunts must provide the Association Compliance Officer with advanced notification of every meet.

(1)        Notification by way of a ‘meet card’ is preferred (e.g. accessible on hunt website); however notification on a meet-by-meet basis is permitted. Notification must routinely be provided at least 7 days in advance.

(2)        Exceptionally, late-stage changes to a meet location/time may be communicated to the Association Compliance Officer no less than 12 hours in advance.

b.           Each Member Hunt must appoint a Pack Compliance Officer (PCO). This can be a Master, Hunt Official or a third party. Ideally this will not be the Huntsman or Whipper-in (i.e. the person, or persons, in direct control of the hounds).

c.            All Pack Compliance Officers will receive training on the operation and compliance requirements of the scheme.

d.           All Pack Compliance Officers must complete Meet Compliance Documentation prior to each meet.

e.            Holding a meet without notification to the Association Compliance Officer will be a direct contravention of the scheme’s rules.

12.        Meet Compliance Documentation

o   All Member Hunts will complete a Registration form Appendix 1 at the beginning of the season and again if any changes are made. OR complete online https://forms.gle/EY7iSCX6qKZUQFdQ7

o   All meets must be supported with Meet Compliance Documentation completed by the Member Hunts  Pack Compliance Officer;

Complete the Pre Event Disclosure form  at appendix 2 & send with map as attachments via email to:  mdbassociationcompliance@gmail.com  OR complete online https://forms.gle/kX5CHyowS6YoV9Bx8

o   The format for submission is still being explored and may change

a.            The Meet Compliance Documentation must include the following details: IF the details are identical to the registration form the name will be sufficient in each case.

(1)        Date, time and specific (e.g.What3Words) location of the meet.

(2)        The name, email, phone number and address of the Master/Hunt Official who has organised the meet.

(3)        The name, email, phone number and address of the person either laying the drag or the lead runner in case of hunting the clean boot.

(4)        The name, email, phone number and address of the person in control of the hounds.

b.           Attached must be a map in a readable form (preferably digital) of the route(s).

c.            The Meet Compliance Documentation and the map must be kept for at least two seasons and must be ready for inspection by the Association Compliance Officer at any time, upon request.

13.        Compliance Monitoring

14.        During the season, the Association Compliance Officer will conduct compliance checks of Member Hunts Meet Compliance Documentation on a random basis. Member Hunts should expect at least two compliance checks to be conducted each season. In addition, archived information may be checked during the closed season.

15.        During the season representatives of the Association Compliance Committee will make unannounced visits to meets in order to ensure that the actual activities being undertaken reflect, as much as is practicable, the intentions set out in the Meet Compliance Documentation.

16.        It is to be the duty of the Association Compliance Committee to investigate any third-party allegations regarding the form of hunting that is being conducted.

17.        All members of the scheme accept that in the event of a dispute with the findings of the compliance officer they will accept the decision of the Association Complaints Members.