Rural Wrongs describes the first major research project to look at the impact of the hunting bans in England, Wales and Scotland on animal welfare. It tells a shocking story: instead of making life better for the fox, the brown hare and the red deer, they have often made life worse. In some areas, foxes have almost been wiped out by gamekeepers and people who enjoy shooting foxes for fun. Restrictions on stag hunting in the West Country have led to a rise in infectious diseases. The ban on hare hunting and hare coursing sparked a new wave of illegal poaching, often associated with violence towards farmers, the police and gamekeepers. The Labour government’s latest plans to further restrict hunting could make life even worse for the quarry species. This book is a must-read for anybody who genuinely cares about wild animal welfare

Charlie Pye-Smith has written about ecology, conservation, farming and development issues for a wide range of publications, including the Daily Telegraph, the Financial Times and the New Scientist. His books include The Other Nile, Travels in Nepal, Rebels and Outcasts, In Search of Wild India, Rural Rites: Hunting and the Politics of Prejudice, and Land of Plenty: A Journey Through the Fields & Foods of Modern Britain. He regularly writes about global farming and environmental issues for international research and development agencies.