The use of dogs to hunt and kill wild animals has "no place in modern Scotland", the environment minister has said.
Mairi McAllan spoke out ahead of this week's final vote on legislation which aims to close loopholes in current laws on hunting practices. Since 2002 it has been against the law to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, but exceptions have been allowed in some circumstances.
The new Hunting with Dogs Bill - which is due to be voted on by MSPs on Tuesday - introduces restrictions that are intended to minimise the risk of wild animals being caught by dogs. Ms McAllan said: "The chasing and killing of a wild mammal, with a dog - for sport or otherwise - has no place in modern Scotland."
