GUILTY: Ex-South Dorset huntsman convicted of racially/religiously aggravated harassment
On 24 July yet another hunter was convicted in court. Ex-South Dorset huntsman Josh Tierney was found guilty after harassing a hunt saboteur. Weymouth Animal Rights wrote: “Josh Tierney was found guilty of causing racially/religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress following a homophobic and xenophobic incident against one of our sabs.” The South Dorset […]
Hunting industry claims to be minority ethnic group and protection under Equality Act
Hunters came together recently for a conference in Wiltshire to discuss how to save hunting. Their plan of action? To claim that hunters are a minority ethnic group, and as such need to be protected under the Equality Act 2010. The event was organised by lobby group Hunting Kind, which aims to influence politicians and […]
GREAT NEWS! Guernsey bans lamping, snares and glue traps
In very welcome news, Guernsey has agreed to ban snares and glue traps as well as the disgusting bloodsport of lamping. On 18 July, the States of Guernsey, which is a self-governing dependency of the UK, voted through seven animal welfare proposals. The news comes as over the water the Labour government is under pressure […]
‘Family-friendly’ Somerset business breeding and selling foxes as exotic pets
A popular Somerset business has been breeding foxes to be kept as exotic pets. Take action: boycott the business and sign the petition, calling for the new Labour government to urgently review and reform legislation. A member of Two Counties Hunt Saboteurs discovered that a fox breeder in Somerset has been advertising foxes to sell […]
GUILTY: Four convictions of illegal hunting against West Norfolk Foxhounds
A district judge found two men from the West Norfolk Foxhounds guilty on two counts each of illegal hunting today (19 July). They relate to two incidents in February 2023, one of which made national news after CCTV footage was published showing hounds kill a fox in a residential garden. District judge Matthew Bone convicted […]
GOOD NEWS: Celebration as Eryri Hunt folds
On 15 July, pro-hunting organisation Hunting Kind announced that Wales’ Eryri Hunt is disbanding. The Eryri hunted on foot in Eryri (Snowdonia), northwest Wales. In response to the news, Cheshire Borderland Monitors celebrated, saying: “ANOTHER ONE GONE! Cheshire Borderland Monitors are particularly pleased about the Eryri hunt disbanding, because in the past we have spent […]
GUILTY: Wynnstay Hunt security guard convicted of racial abuse
A security guard working for the notorious Wynnstay Hunt pleaded guilty in court on 15 July. He was charged after racially abusing a hunt saboteur, which is a hate crime. Anthony Williams was one of the Wynnstay’s hired thugs on 6 January 2024. Cheshire Hunt Saboteurs reported that Williams acted like the Incredible Hulk. He […]
The BHSA’s fudged figures expose it as just another smokescreen
Oliver Hughes, managing director of the British Hound Sports Authority (BHSA), claimed there are about 12,000 days of trail hunting a year and that most take place “without incident”. However, data gathered by activists and analysed by Protect the Wild undermines this statement. The results point to an open secret about the BHSA. In an […]
Good news! Another hunt folds just days after Labour takes power
Fantastic news is coming in before the 2024/25 hunting ‘season’ even starts: the Monmouthshire and Valley Beagles (M&VB), which used to hunt hares, has disbanded. The M&VB itself was formed from the amalgamation of two separate beagle packs in 2015, the Merthyr Tydfil-based Valley Beagles and the Monmouthshire Beagles. The hunt chased and killed Brown […]
Rescuers save foxes trapped by wildlife killer
On 7 July, animal welfare volunteers rushed to Moreton on the Wirral in an attempt to save two foxes from a wildlife killer. Locals alerted Manchester Hunt Saboteurs, who were joined by both Wirral Fox Rescue and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue. A man, who is known in the area for terrorising mammals and […]
Hunting industry cries crocodile tears for its hounds
Doomsday for hunting with dogs could well be approaching. If Labour gets into power, it has pledged to strengthen the hunting ban, closing loopholes that were deliberately included in Tony Blair’s Hunting Act 2004. So it’s no surprise that the hunting industry is trying to pull at the public’s heartstrings when it cries crocodile tears […]
New Defence Secretary must ban hunting on MOD land
John Healey is Labour’s new Secretary of State for Defence. Healey is anti-hunting, so Protect the Wild has high hopes that he will take urgent action to ban hunting on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land. Join us in our campaign to make this happen. Most major landowners, such as the National Trust, have already banned […]
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.
Equipment Fund #22: Suffolk Action for Wildlife
Suffolk Action For Wildlife (SAF) have been monitoring and exposing illegal hunting across Suffolk since 2021. Focussing their work on the Essex and Suffolk Hunt, they have always generously shared their news and images with us here at Protect the Wild (see for example ‘CONVICTED! Terrierman guilty after terrorising monitors on quad bike’ and ‘Essex […]
Hackney resident woken to sound of gunshots as foxes shot in vicarage
On 23 June, Hackney resident Claire was suddenly woken by the sound of gunshots. Highly alarmed she realised that the shots were coming from the vicarage her garden backed on. Inside the vicarage was a young family. What on earth was happening…? Claire, who told Protect the Wild she has worked in war zones in […]
Labour: cull ‘ineffective’ but will continue anyway?
The Labour party has been vocal in its criticism of the badger cull, and previously pledged to end it if elected. Its manifesto stated that the party would “end the ineffective badger cull”. But is Labour going back on its promise? Shadow Defra Secretary Steve Reed spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today on Wednesday […]
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 […]
#RestoreNatureNow march – 60000 of us heading in the same direction
On Saturday 22 June, 60,000 activists walked through London. All ages, all backgrounds, an almost unimaginably broad range of interests and concerns. Even a few years ago we might have seemed disparate, unconnected with each other, but for a glorious, precious few hours we united behind two simple messages: 1) our world is dying, we […]
ENGLAND: Glue Trap ban in force soon!
Glue traps, sometimes referred to as sticky boards or glue boards, are used to trap mice or rats. Non-drying adhesive is placed on a board and as animals walk across them they are trapped and unable to escape, their fur or limbs becoming increasingly stuck to the glue as they try to wriggle free. Thankfully countries […]
CONVICTED! Terrierman guilty after terrorising monitors on quad bike
Robert Cundy (pictured above), terrierman for the Essex and Suffolk Hunt, pleaded guilty on 14 June to breaking a Community Protection Notice (CPN). A CPN can be issued by a court as punishment for persistent antisocial behaviour. Suffolk Action for Wildlife (SAF) consistently monitors the hunt. Protect the Wild chatted to SAF’s Anna about the […]
Hunting lobbyists desperately claims “we will not give up” as hunting ban looms
The British Hound Sports Association (BHSA), the hunting industry’s cheerleader and supposed regulatory body, has cried “WE WILL NOT GIVE UP” in a last desperate bid to save hunting. Labour is set to win the next election, and has stated in its manifesto that if elected it will ban trail hunting. It is common knowledge […]
Will our vote make a difference for wildlife? Yes.
The General Election will take place on 4 July. Over the years, the Tories have effectively declared war on Britain’s wildlife. But are the other parties any better? Protect the Wild takes a look at their manifestos, and whether they pledge to defend animals. The latest polls give Labour a clear lead, with the Conservatives […]
The Secret Monitor: Endsleigh Shoot, Devon
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 while a police force seems happy to ‘look the other way’. But there is always someone watching, always someone listening. The Secret Monitor. In this post […]
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 KILLING CONTINUES: Defra orders new badger cull licences
Earlier this year, Defra (the government department working on behalf of the hunting, shooting, farming and fishing industries) launched a ‘sham consultation’, allegedly seeking input for plans to continue killing badgers for the dairy industry. If the government were to go ahead with those plans, licences might be indefinitely issued to kill 100% of badgers […]
GOOD NEWS! Men from Blackmore and Sparkford Vale charged with illegal hunting
Four men from the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (BSV) – the very same hunt we have been asking The Newt in Somerset to ban from meeting on their land – have been charged under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004, accused of hunting a wild mammal with dogs. The news comes just months […]
Minks and Otters at risk as hunting season starts
Summer is the season for mink hunting in England and Wales. Less well-known than fox hunting, the illegal bloodsport is often used as a guise for hunting Otters. There are nine minkhound packs left in the UK, and saboteurs are on the ground to stop them in their tracks. Mother mink give birth to their […]
Northern Ireland: Red Kite euthanised after shooting
A Red Kite was so seriously injured in a shooting last month that she had to be euthanised by a vet treating her. Well-known throughout the Mournes, in Co Down, the bird, nicknamed Vivienne after the identifying tags ‘6V’ attached to her wing, was found injured in Newry, on Saturday, April 20. X-rays found that […]
Government badger cull plans on hold
Back in March, Defra (the government department working on behalf of the hunting, shooting, farming and fishing industries) launched a ‘sham consultation’, allegedly seeking input for its pre-decided plans to continue killing badgers for the dairy industry. If the government were to go ahead with those plans, Natural England would issue licences indefinitely to kill 100% […]
TAKE ACTION: Tell the Royal Horticultural Society to disassociate itself from fox hunting
The Chelsea Flower Show, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), has come to an end for another year. The show’s four-year headline sponsor, luxury hotel business The Newt in Somerset, allows fox hunting meets on its land. You can take action by telling the RHS to cut its ties with the company, which is […]
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 […]
Prominent gardeners speak out against Chelsea Flower Show’s association with fox hunting
The 2024 Chelsea Flower Show is well under way. Attendees have been alarmed to discover that the show’s headline sponsor, luxury hotel business The Newt, supports illegal hunting. Now some of the country’s most famous gardeners have spoken out about the event’s ongoing relationship with the hotel. Protect the Wild, along with our friends at […]
Another hunter sentenced for animal cruelty, but escapes prison
Greg Baker, former huntsman of the Llandeilo Farmers Hunt, has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. Five horses and one hound suffered from severe abuse under his care. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) and South Wales Hunt Saboteurs stated that the RSPCA had raided Baker’s property, and found that the horses were: […]
Animal abuser King Charles becomes new patron of the RSPCA
The RSPCA is “immensely honoured” that King Charles has become its new patron. Protect the Wild argues that this man, who abuses animals, should never have such a role in an animal welfare charity. This article explores Charles’ bloodlust for killing mammals and birds, and details how his vast estates are shooting playgrounds. The RSPCA […]
No police action after hunting hounds were killed on busy road
Northamptonshire Police has stated that it will not prosecute members of the Pytchley with Woodland Hunt, even though three of its hounds were killed on the busy A43. The incident took place on 19 February between Broughton and Sywell. Northants Hunt Saboteurs wrote of the police’s decision: “We are extremely disappointed to see that Northants […]
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 […]
Yet another raptor killed in Peak District National Park
Derbyshire Police are working with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) after an adult female Peregrine Falcon was discovered shot in the Peak District at Hey Clough off the A628 Woodhead Pass, near Crowden, on Saturday, April 4. Like all birds of prey, peregrines are fully protected by law (see our page […]
TAKE ACTION: Tell the ‘World’s Best Boutique Hotel’ to disassociate itself from fox hunting
Yesterday we launched a petition to demand that The Newt in Somerset hotel stop hosting the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. Over 5000 people have already signed. In the following post we give more details about why the petition was launched and why it is so important. The Newt must disassociate from fox hunting Hunts […]
Tory MP Ben Wallace joins British Hound Sports Association board
As the general election approaches, the Tories continue to remind us why they’re not fit for government. News that MP and ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has joined the British Hound Sports Association board is yet another indication that this party needs to be ousted. Of course, anti-hunting campaigners have always known that Wallace is pro-hunting. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Campaigners demand Oxford University scientists speak out against badger extermination
Oxfordshire Badger Group has delivered a petition and an open letter to Oxford University. The campaigners say that the biology department must break its silence and speak out against the badger cull, which has so far killed more than 230,000 badgers in England. The petition has more than 13,000 signatures so far: add yours. The […]
VICTORY! Wild Justice proves that trigger-happy Tories acted unlawfully
Campaign group Wild Justice has announced the fantastic news that it has won a legal challenge against the government. The group took action after it found out that Defra had approved gamebird licences that Wild Justice knew were unlawful. Land owners who want to release pheasants and partridges near a Special Protected Area (SPA) must […]
Protesters descend on fox hunting supporter Jeremy Clarkson
TV ‘personality’ and farmer Jeremy Clarkson has never hidden his contempt for Britain’s wildlife. After letting one of England’s most criminal hunts chase foxes and block badger setts on his land, protesters paid a visit to his company. Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, Gloucestershire Badger Office, Cotswold Hunt Sabs, Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch, Gloucestershire Badger Group […]
19,570 badgers were needlessly murdered in 2023. Sign our petition to stop the killing.
The government has released its latest figures on its annual badger cull, and the news is devastating. Another 19,570 badgers lost their lives in 2023, bringing the total murdered since 2013 to more than 230,000. Only a change in government will stop this senseless crime. Every year for the past decade, England’s badgers have been […]
Huntsman charged under Scotland’s Hunting With Dogs Act
Matthew Wilkinson, huntsman of the Jed Forest Hunt, has made history as the first man to be charged under Scotland’s Hunting With Dogs Act. A second man, David Every of the Berwickshire Hunt, was arrested then released while the police make further enquiries. The Hunting With Dogs (Scotland) Bill became an Act in March 2023, […]
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 […]
Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hunter found guilty of causing ABH
After a three day trial, Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) member Charlie Mayo, son of hunt master Anthony Mayo, has been found guilty of assaulting a hunt saboteur and causing actual bodily harm (ABH). The saboteur was so badly injured that he was hospitalised. The assault, which North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs described as “unprovoked” and […]
Builder destroys three bat roosts fined £111
A Caerphilly-based builder has received a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £111 – roughly equivalent to a day’s pay for someone on the average UK wage – for illegally removing a roof at a property and destroying THREE separate bat roosts where protected Common Pipistrelles, Soprano Pipistrelles, and Whiskered Bats were […]
United Pack steal monitor’s drone
On 24th February 2024, volunteers with Shropshire Wildlife Monitors were monitoring the Bishops Castle-based United Pack (UP), who were holding their last meet of the ‘season’ at Newton Farm. Amongst the volunteers was a drone operator. The day ended with the UP stealing the drone and driving away with it. The United Pack may not […]
Sadist incriminates himself filming his dog killing deer
Yet another man has been prosecuted after encouraging his dog to torture and kill a wild animal, filming the whole sick event, and posting it on social media. 28-year-old Sampson Richards, from Penryn, Cornwall, pleaded guilty on 21 March to attempting to take, kill or injure a deer without lawful authority – an offence under […]