The UK government has announced that it will ban trail hunting as part of its new animal welfare strategy, citing concerns that the practice is being used as a 'smokescreen' for the hunting of wild animals. Trail hunting involves laying a scent trail for hounds to follow in a simulated hunt, but animal welfare activists argue that it is often used as a cover for traditional fox hunting. The move is significant in addressing animal welfare concerns and reflects a growing focus on conservation and ethical treatment of wildlife in the UK.