The RSPCA is considering abandoning its controversial policy of 'pursuing pointless fox hunting prosecutions' after the collapse of the latest case. The animal charity has no more legal actions left under the Hunting Act after its decision last month to drop the case against William Bryer, joint master of the renowned Cattistock Hunt in Dorset. Following criticism for spending £22.5million pursuing animal welfare prosecutions last year, the RSPCA is now reviewing its policy on fox hunting cases. The RSPCA is considering abandoning its controversial policy of 'pursuing pointless fox hunting prosecutions' after the collapse of the latest case (file picture of the Boxing Day hunt in Lacock, Wiltshire) The RSPCA has the power to bring its own prosecutions rather than rely on the police or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). However last October, a report commissioned by the charity recommended abandoning the policy and leaving the job to the CPS, which has more expertise. The organisation stressed that its main role is to focus on the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of animals, rather than taking people to court. A spokesman said: 'One of the questions we are currently looking into it whether or not we continue to prosecute under the Hunting Act.' Fox hunting was outlawed in 2005 under Tony Blair's government, but groups continue to meet by using trail hunting, usually with a hunt member dragging the scent of a fox across fields and woodlands. Other hunts use an exemption that allows dogs to flush out the animals from woodland which can then be shot. There were more than 400 prosecutions under the controversial Hunting Act between 2009 and 2013. Just 49 people were charged with hunting offences in 2005, but this more than doubled to 110 by 2010. The animal charity has no more legal actions left under the Hunting Act after its decision last month to drop the case against William Bryer, joint master of the renowned Cattistock Hunt (pictured) in Dorset . Fox hunting with dogs was outlawed in 2005 under Tony Blair's government, but groups continue to meet by using trail hunting (file picture) However critics claim many of these people are prosecuted under the Hunting Act for poaching offences, rather than fox hunting, and that hardly any are from official hunts. In 2012, the RSPCA spent £327,000 prosecuting the Heythrop Hunt, in Oxfordshire. David Cameron has ridden with the hunt. Three defendants were accused of interfering with a badger sett while assisting the Cheshire Hunt in February 2012. A year later the RSPCA admitted it did not have enough evidence. Defendants’ costs of up to £10,000 paid by the taxpayer. In April 2013, charity accused two defendants in the Cheshire Forest Hunt of disturbing a badger sett but ten months later offered ‘no evidence’. In November 2013, case against Will Goffe, 33, of the Ledbury Hunt, near Malvern in Worcestershire, was dropped due to insufficient evidence. Last month Mr Bryer's case collapsed after the RSPCA pulled out of a three-year battle to prove he had broken hunting laws. His solicitor, Jamie Foster, claimed that the case had been flawed from the start. He said: 'There is video footage of my client laying legal trails before and after the alleged breach of the hunting ban which was not disclosed to us by the RSPCA.' He said the laying of a trail, or a scent which the hounds can track rather than chasing a live animal, showed that the Cattistock had behaved responsibly, not recklessly as the prosecution claimed. Tim Bonner, from the Countryside Alliance, said: 'We would welcome any decision by the RSPCA to leave the question of prosecuting hunts to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. 'The Society has always faced a fundamental difficulty acting as a prosecutor while also being a political campaigning organisation. It can only be in the best interests of animal welfare that the RSPCA returns to its core principles rather than pursuing pointless prosecutions through the courts.' An RSPCA spokesman said: 'Whilst we have not changed our policy on prosecuting alleged offences under the Hunting Act we don't have any other hunt cases pending at the moment.'
RSPCA considering dropping policy of prosecuting people for fox hunting . Animal charity dropped its last case against hunt master and has none left . A total of £22.5million was spent on animal welfare cases last year alone . Campaigners say RSPCA should stop 'pursuing pointless prosecutions'