SOUTH DORSET HUNT: Judge overturns conviction for hunting a fox
A Bournemouth Crown Court judge has just overturned a conviction against huntsman Mark Pearson. The South Dorset Hunt’s master-huntsman was originally convicted of illegal hunting in October 2022. It resulted from an incident in which the South Dorset Hunt’s hounds killed two foxes near Bere Regis, Dorset, on 13 November 2021. Hunt saboteur group Weymouth […]
Sabs descend on violent South Dorset Hunt
Hunt saboteurs from all over the country, as well as Ireland, travelled to Dorset on 21 January to sab the South Dorset Hunt (SDH). More than 40 people descended on the hunt in response to acts of extreme violence carried out by SDH supporters over the past month. On 20 December, a 77-year-old hunt monitor […]
South Dorset Hunt monitors are targeted yet again as 17 tyres are slashed on Boxing Day
A few days ago, Protect the Wild wrote about how a monitor from Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR) was beaten up with an iron bar and left for dead. He was monitoring the South Dorset Hunt at the time. And now hunt monitors and saboteurs have been targeted once again. WAR woke up on Boxing Day […]
Tory pro-fox hunting leaders and MPs
With the General Election just around the corner, it’s looking like the Tories’ time in power will be over very soon! But we mustn’t be complacent. In this article, we remind our readers how this pro-hunting party has waged a war on foxes since it came back into power in 2010. Since taking over from […]
REVEALED: The Newt’s owners Emily Estate allows fox hunting on even more of its land
Protect the Wild’s campaign, urging luxury hotel business The Newt in Somerset to end its ties with fox hunting, has uncovered more links with the criminal Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt. The prestigious Hotel has allowed the BSV to meet on its grounds and has refused to confirm that it will ban the hunt […]
The Newt’s estate manager and her connections to fox hunting
Luxury hotel business The Newt in Somerset – headline sponsor of the Chelsea Flower Show – has allowed the criminal Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt to meet on its grounds. Despite a campaign of more than 12,000 people urging The Newt to ban the hunt, the business still hasn’t cut ties with the notorious […]
Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunter murders stag and barges hunt saboteur with loaded gun
Devon and Somerset Staghounds murdered a young stag during the hunt’s closing meet on 20 April. Hunt saboteurs said the killer also barged a hunt saboteur while holding a loaded gun. North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs gave a harrowing account of what happened that day. The group was joined by numerous other sab and monitor groups […]
BHSA and hunting’s desperate bid to save itself
The British Hound Sports Association (BHSA), hunt’s so-called ‘governing’ body, has released details of its “Autumn Campaign” in the run up to the next General Election. The campaign focuses on proving to the world – and particularly Labour candidates – that ‘trail hunting’ is legal. As people who care deeply about wildlife, we should pay […]
Hunt violence at sickening levels, new report shows
Protect the Wild recently published “Hunting: A Case for Change“, a 50-page report that offers a thorough examination of hunting practices during the 2022/23 season. The report focuses predominantly on fox, hare, and deer hunting in England and Wales. Author Glen Black utilised a combination of online data from anti-hunting groups, public reports, and activist […]
National Trust: failure to enforce ban emboldening hunts
The National Trust (NT) banned so-called trail hunting back in October 2021, after a hard-fought battle by members and campaigners who took a motion to the Trust’s AGM in Harrogate. But more than three years later hunts continue to trespass on its estates. Protect the Wild takes a look at the charity’s inaction as wildlife […]
Dorset men jailed for mutilating wild animals
Two men have been imprisoned for torturing animals in Dorset. Kristen Cooper, 24, and Todd Cooper, 29, both from Hampshire, were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on 19 January. Dorset Police investigated the two men, with assistance from their Hampshire colleagues. Police searched Kristen Cooper’s home in October 2022, seized his phone, and found incriminating […]
Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt men arrested after attacks on sabs
Dorset Police Rural Crime Team has arrested two men associated with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt. The arrests come after a number of attacks on hunt saboteurs. The police stated: “After a detailed investigation into reports of assault and thefts at the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hunt; we can now confirm that we […]
The Secret Monitor: Partners in crime – who’s enabling the cruelty of stag hunting?
Damaging stories from inside hunting, shooting, and the badger cull have been circulating for years. Everything from breaking the law to assaults or harassment of monitors and the public and a police force seemingly happy to ‘look the other way’. But there is always someone watching, always someone listening. The Secret Monitor. In the sixth […]
SHOCKING: Hunt rider filmed striking whip at cyclist
On Saturday 11 November, a Kent Hounds field rider struck his whip at a cyclist. His action shows the complete disdain hunts have for the public. Footage released on KentOnline shows the woman sitting on her bike in the road as the hunt moves past her. As the rider meets her, he aggressively strikes his […]
JAILED: Fox hunter given 18 months for almost killing saboteur
On 9 November, fox hunter Chris Mardles, 26, former whipper-in of the Pytchley with Woodland Hunt, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court. He had pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm after trampling a hunt saboteur with his horse. The attack occurred in September 2020. The saboteur suffered life-threatening injuries and […]
Covid-19 Inquiry: Government put more thought into hunting and shooting than supporting women
This week’s Covid Inquiry has highlighted the Tory government’s incompetence during the Covid pandemic. Former deputy cabinet secretary Helena MacNamara gave a witness statement arguing that Johnson and his “macho” and “toxic” team gave more thought to hunting and shooting interests than they did women’s issues. MacNamara’s 97-page statement, criticising the governing of the pandemic, […]
This is the solution to end stag hunting forever
Stag hunting is possibly the UK’s most gruesome blood sport. When the Hunting Act came into force in 2005, stag hunters evaded the ban by using different loopholes in the law to their fox hunting friends. Protect the Wild argues that in order to end stag hunting once and for all, we need a complete […]
Hunt attacks homes and vehicles of sabs and monitor
North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs reported this week that two female saboteurs have been attacked and their cameras were stolen. Homes and vehicles were also targeted. Images were released of the damage done to a hunt monitor’s silver car and to a van belonging to the hunt sabs. The sabs are asking for help to raise […]
Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt murder or dig out foxes three times in one week
Earlier this year, the public was outraged when ITV News broadcast the Avon Vale Hunt digging out two foxes. On 21 September 2023, North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs caught the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (BSV) doing the exact same thing. The sabs also caught the hunt trying to dig out another fox just days later, […]
Hunt saboteurs ‘seriously assaulted’ while monitoring a deer hunt
Hunt saboteurs in the southwest have said that hunt followers “seriously assaulted” two members during a deer hunt. The attack hospitalised one sab and smashed up a vehicle. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) said on 22 August that two sabs were assaulted while following the Devon and Somerset Staghounds. One was a member of Devon […]
Cattistock Hunt escapes prosecution despite railway line fox chase
On 10 July, North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs reported that the Cattistock Hunt will not be prosecuted for trespassing onto railway tracks. This shows police bias in action: hunts continually get away with trespassing on railways, while members of the public doing the same face prosecution. The incident in question took place on 4 February 2023, […]
Cottesmore huntsman Sam Jones charged with assault
Cottesmore huntsman Sam Jones has finally been charged by the police after he trampled a hunt saboteur with his horse. The incident took place on 11 February 2023. Jones was arrested on 14 February, and was finally charged with common assault on 14 July. He will appear in Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 11 August. The […]
Hunt Havoc and Violence
Hunt Havoc and Violence It isn’t just wildlife and hounds who are victims of hunting. Monitoring hunts can be a dangerous task, and people who oppose them are often risking their lives. Hunt saboteurs are prime targets for violent hunt thugs because it is their footage, as well as their eye witness accounts, which expose […]
Gruesome footage highlights the criminality of England’s stag hunters
Quantock Staghounds (QSH) is one of the UK’s most brutal hunts. It continually murders Somerset’s stags with impunity, despite being caught on film. Now, recent footage – caught by North Dorset Hunt Sabs – is a stark reminder of just how criminal this hunt really is. The sabs’ footage – which you can view here […]
GUILTY: Hunt supporter convicted after running down saboteur
On 15 March 2023, South Dorset Hunt supporter Stewart Masters was found guilty after running down a hunt saboteur from Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR). WAR said: “On 12th February 2022, three of our group were waiting on a pick up when one of them was deliberately run into by a South Dorset Hunt supporter, Stewart […]
Notorious fox hunter Mark Pearson to appear in court again
Dorset Police has announced that three fox hunters will appear in court on 7 June 2023, charged under the Hunting Act. Evidence gathered from North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs has been instrumental in charging Mark Pearson, Tom Lyle and Marcus Boundy of hunting a wild animal with dogs. Dorset Police said: “It follows an investigation by […]
Hunt monitors are urgently calling for people to oppose the Ilminster Beagle Festival
The Ilminster Beagle Festival is well underway in south Somerset. The secret event is well-guarded by organisers, and is rarely seen by the public because of its remote location. Hunt monitors are calling for people to oppose the last few days of the meet, which runs until Sunday 12 March. Beagling is the cruel sport […]
Lewis Hamilton-fronting car company sponsoring fundraisers for hunts
Car manufacturer INEOS Automotive is sponsoring point-to-point horse races to show its support for the “countryside community”. The catch? They are organised by and raise money for criminal hunting. INEOS Automotive started its partnership with the Point-to-Point Authority in November 2021. The promotional material at the time said the car manufacturer was sponsoring the Mixed […]
Hunt supporters throw two murdered foxes into a hunt saboteur’s garden
South Dorset Hunt supporters stooped to a new low on 12 January when they threw two murdered foxes into a hunt saboteur’s garden. This is just one of a number of incidents targeting those who monitor this criminal hunt. The saboteur is part of Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR), which consistently monitors the hunt. WAR’s footage […]
Hunt supporters attack a man in his seventies using a catapult and ball bearing
A hunt monitor in his seventies has been attacked by South Dorset Hunt supporters. This is the second time in less than a month that a monitor has been targeted by followers of the hunt. Protect the Wild spoke to North Dorset Hunt Sabs, who said: “We were sabbing the South Dorset Hunt at Tadnoll, […]
“They would have left him for dead.” Hunt monitors are calling for witnesses after a 77-year-old man is beaten with an iron bar
On 20 December, a monitor from Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR) was hospitalised after two masked-up men beat him round the head with a metal bar. WAR was monitoring the South Dorset Hunt, along with Mendip Hunt Sabs, when the brutal attack happened. They are asking for any witnesses to come forward. The attack took place […]
Damning text messages incriminate prominent fox hunter Ollie Finnegan
On 6 December 2022, Ollie Finnegan pleaded guilty to illegally hunting with dogs after WhatsApp messages, found on his phone, incriminated him. Finnegan was the huntsman for the Quorn Hunt on 7 January 2022. Police seized his phone after receiving reports of the Quorn illegally hunting a fox that day. ITV’s Rupert Evelyn attended court. […]
The brutal reality of stag hunting
The brutal reality of stag hunts and stag hunting Barbaric hunters on quad bikes and motorbikes, accompanied by hounds, chasing a stag to exhaustion. Hardly what you’d expect to see in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). But if you go for a walk on Somerset’s Quantock Hills, this is exactly what you might […]
VOTE May 2: Elections for Police and Crime Commissioners
Elections for England and Wales’ Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) take place on 2 May. Whoever gets in could have a major impact on wildlife. Whether we vote for our preferred candidate or vote tactically, it is essential that we all get out to vote. While the turnout for the PCC election is not as low […]
Cautious optimism: What a new government could mean for wildlife
The Tories are out. Labour has won the election with a huge majority, taking almost 300 seats more than the Conservatives. What might this mean for wildlife? Protect the Wild outlines our hopes for the next government.
We’re supporting a new sab group in the west of England
The 2023/24 ‘hunting season’ (and how appalling is it that a wildlife crime still has the term ‘season’ attached to it?) may have ended at last, but that doesn’t mean that monitor and sab groups are not making plans and rebuilding or restocking after a bruising nine months – or that Protect the Wld is […]
Labour PCC victories give some hope to wildlife
Labour has made significant gains in the 2024 England and Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections. This could be very positive news for animals – because PCCs have significant influence over whether wildlife crime is taken seriously by local police forces. Labour gained 9 new seats, while Conservative lost 11. A PCC’s role is […]
Here’s another reason we need to vote in the PCC elections on 2nd May
The Police and Crime Commissioner elections take place on 2 May, on the same day as people turn out to vote in the local elections. In North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, the PCC responsibilities are being taken over by the new mayors. If you live in Yorkshire, this is your chance to vote for a […]
Badger Cull U-Turn: “Sunak now wants all the badgers dead”
Sunak now wants all the badgers dead and this looks like a last chance grab at getting widespread culling back in place so it is difficult for Labour to scrap it as promised, in favour of the urgent cattle testing policy revisions that Defra have suppressed with their BTB partnership cabal which was recently exposed on the Badger Crowd website.”
Ten reasons why 2023 was a good year for wildlife
For those of us who love wildlife, it is easy to fall into despair when we read reports of foxes being killed and birds of prey being poisoned. Many of us will need a reminder that positive events happened in 2023! As the year comes to a close, we give ten reasons why this was […]
Stag killers no longer welcome in this Somerset pub
Pub company Greene King has stated that the Anchor Inn in Exebridge will no longer host the Quantock Staghounds. This stand against hunting is a blow to the murderous industry. Huntpubs, a campaign that exposes the pubs and venues supporting illegal hunting, published an email on X (formerly Twitter). It had previously asked the public […]
DARTMOOR: camping ban and pheasant shooting
On Saturday 21 January, Protect the Wild joined more than 3,000 people marching in protest on Dartmoor after a pheasant-shooting millionaire took action to prevent wild camping. Hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall, who owns the 4,000-acre Blachford Estate on Dartmoor, brought the case against Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA). The high court ruled in his […]
Five shot Goshawks dumped in Suffolk wood
On 17th January Suffolk Police’s Rural, Wildlife & Heritage Unit posted a request on their Twitter feed for information after the discovery of the bodies of five young (Northern) Goshawks dumped in Forestry England’s King’s Forest near Thetford in Suffolk. The large and powerful birds – fully grown juveniles likely to have hatched just last […]
What is a bagged fox?
On 26 August 2022, ITV News published footage showing what appeared to be a ‘bagged fox’. The video showed a group of terriermen associated with the Seavington Hunt pulling a bag from a quad bike before dumping whatever is inside onto the ground. Huntsman Benedict Hood is then seen encouraging a nearby pack of foxhounds, […]
White-tailed Eagle
Facts about the White-tailed Eagle Scientific name: Haliaeetus albicilla Bird Family: Kites, hawks and eagles UK conservation status: Amber At a glance UK’s largest bird of prey with a massive 2.5m wingspan. Largely feeding on fish, White-tails live most of the year near large bodies of open water. Thriving in Scotland thanks to reintroductions, but […]
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Who we’ve supported
Who we’ve Supported Not all heroes wear capes! There are extraordinary people doing extraordinary things every day, often suffering insult and injury doing their utmost to protect foxes, birds, badgers and other wildlife. Brave individuals working tirelessly in the field to save and protect animals. We regularly offer funding to those who need support and […]
