*GRAPHIC* Pregnant vixen torn apart by Holderness Hunt hounds
On the 4th of March 2025, a devastating incident occurred in East Yorkshire, as the Holderness Hunt hounds were witnessed tearing apart a pregnant vixen. The harrowing scene took place between Lessit and Kelk, in a field east of Gembling, within the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull Wildlife Protectors (HWP), who were monitoring the second-to-last […]
BSV hunt filmed trying to wrestle spade from roadworks crew
In yet another example of England’s most notorious hunt causing havoc, a member of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) hunt was captured on camera trying to wrestle a spade from a council worker in early March. The incident occurred as the hunt ‘rampaged through roadworks’, as North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs (NDHS) explained. The BSV […]
Veganic farmer makes clear Portman Hunt not welcome
Laurence Candy’s farm was certified to Biocyclic Vegan Standards in 2022. He’s already taken a principled stance against animal farming. Now he’s made clear that hunting is not welcome on his land either, and he has contacted the Portman Hunt to say so. Candy is the owner of Northwood Farm, which has gained publicity in […]
Foxhounds continue to be put in danger by hunts
In the last week, several incidents have highlighted the persistent risks foxhounds face during hunting with them repeatedly placed in dangerous situations. Despite claiming to care deeply for their hounds, hunts often demonstrate little regard for their safety. On February 8th, North London Hunt Saboteurs (Sabs) filmed a troubling scene involving the Thurlow huntsman. The […]
Beaufort Hunt greenwashing reputation with charity donation
The Beaufort Hunt (BH) are boasting on Facebook that they have donated £2500 to domestic abuse charity Society Without Abuse (SWA – formerly Swindon Women’s Aid). In response Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs have pointed out that members of the Beaufort have been “perpetrating acts of violence” against animals, female wildlife defenders and others for years. Could […]
Bird shooting ends on huge Scottish estate after takeover by conservation company
Bird killing in Britain is an incredibly normalised affair. This is evident in the fact that of all the issues Protect the Wild campaigns on, shooting appears to be the only one that the Labour government plans to do nothing about. Recently, however, blasting birds out of the sky became just that little bit less […]
Revealed: Vets Fighting to Bring Back Hunting and Badger Gassing
A group of veterinarians have been banging the drum about badgers in recent years, blaming the wild animals for causing bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cows to an even greater extent than the government typically does. Indeed, they have criticised the country’s bTB policy for not focusing on badgers enough. This policy has seen hundreds of […]
REVEALED: Police force releases long-hidden agreement with Warwickshire Hunt
Following months of pressure, Warwickshire Police has released the controversial protocol it entered into with the Warwickshire Hunt. So, what have we found out? Protect the Wild breaks it down. Warwickshire Hunt was given a Community Protection Notice (CPN) in 2022 over anti-social behaviour during hunting, namely “unreasonable and dangerous use of the roads”. CPNs […]
Hunt sabs hold historic meeting in parliament after 60 years of activism
Hunt saboteurs were welcomed into the House of Commons to meet with MPs on 9 January. This is the first time that the activists have attended parliament to talk with MPs in their over 60 years of sabbing hunts. Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan invited hunt saboteurs to meet with a cross-party group of MPs on […]
England’s most flagrant hunt excises all mention of foxes from its founding doc
The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (BSV) is arguably the poster child for fox hunting diehards in Britain. In a curious sign of the times as the trail hunting ban looms, it has removed all mentions of foxes from one of its founding documents. The BSV is a notorious hunt, accounting for almost 13% of […]
Hunting hounds left freezing and stranded in local shop
A Northern Ireland hunt left a number of its hounds stranded in freezing cold temperatures at the weekend. The news comes just days before a public consultation on hunting with dogs closes. You can fill in the consultation survey here, even if you don’t live in Northern Ireland. The South Tyrone Foxhounds lost several hounds […]
Nails in hunting’s coffin: 2024’s guilty convictions
2024 saw numerous hunters in the dock, either for hunting-related offences, or for the violence they inflicted on hunt saboteurs and monitors. Protect the Wild takes a look at the year’s convictions, and what this might mean for the future of hunting with dogs. Despite there being a larger number of hunters or their supporters […]
How Protect the Wild fought for wildlife in 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, Protect the Wild is reflecting on our work over the last year. We campaigned hard to secure the change that Britain’s brilliant but beleaguered wildlife so desperately needs. While achieving an end to the persecution of wild animals is most definitely a work in progress, we wanted to share […]
Ten reasons why 2024 was a great year for wildlife
It’s that time of year again when we remind ourselves that 2024 was, in many ways, a good year for wildlife! The Tories were ousted, and the hunting industry is terrified that its days are numbered. Here’s ten reasons why this year was a positive one. 1. The argument has been won! Trail hunting IS […]
Snares, hunts, and shoots: Billionaire duke’s vast estate no haven for wildlife
The Green Britain Foundation recently obtained undercover footage of a fox trapped in a snare on the Duke of Westminster’s estate in Cheshire. As the Mirror reported, activists who discovered and filmed the snared fox, released it. But they said many other snares were set in one wood alone on the 11,000 acre Eaton Estate. […]
Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hounds tear up fox in residential garden
Hunting hounds caused yet more havoc this week when the notorious Blackmore and Sparkford Vale’s dogs ran rampage in a residential garden, chasing and killing a fox. The heartbreaking incident took place in West Camel, Somerset, on 11 November. Footage was captured on the home’s security camera and given to North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. The […]
Bolting foxes: Exposing the real face of hunting
Hunts across the country have held their opening meets in recent weeks as yet another fox hunting ‘season’ gets underway. To mark the season’s start, the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) released three videos – recorded by hunters themselves – that demonstrate the despicable practice of ‘bolting’. The main fox hunting season runs from the end […]
‘Traumatising’: Gruesome footage shows Seavington Hunt tearing up fox
Two Counties Hunt Sabs have published gruesome footage from the Seavington Hunt’s opening meet, which took place on 26 October. The video shows a fox being caught by hounds and torn up, while the huntsman watches closely. A rider then throws the fox’s body into a nearby stream. (WARNING: Video shows a fox being killed) […]
GUILTY AGAIN! West Norfolk Foxhounds men lose court appeal
Two West Norfolk Foxhounds men appeared in court again last week, this time to appeal hunting convictions. To their dismay, their attempt at overturning their guilty verdicts backfired. Their convictions were upheld on 18 October. Back on 19 July 2024, a judge convicted huntsman Edward “Mikey” Bell and whipper-in Andrew Egginton on two counts each […]
BOXING DAY: Winchester Council to close road enabling Hampshire Hunt to parade
Wildlife defenders campaign every year to try to stop Boxing Day hunt parades, but Winchester City Council has announced that not only will it close a road for the Hampshire Hunt, but that police will be deployed to protect the parade. It is astounding that in 2024, the archaic bloodsport of fox hunting is not […]
HUNTING BAN: Labour must learn from Scotland’s mistakes
It was a seemingly momentous victory when Scotland banned hunting with dogs. One year on, its legislation is failing wildlife. The Labour government has promised to properly ban hunting too – but it needs to learn from its neighbour’s mistakes. Campaigners described it as a “landmark moment” when, late in the evening on 24 January […]
Hunt kills a fox, then huntsman grabs a hare to throw to hounds
The Puckeridge and Essex Union Hunt killed a fox, then seemingly threw a hare to hounds, in one morning. Footage shared by East Herts Sabs will make any animal lover feel both sick and distressed. It shows huntsman Rhys Matcham getting off his horse, grabbing the hare, and riding off with her as hounds follow […]
GOOD NEWS! Businesses and council turn their backs on hunts
Protect the Wild has some exciting news! A number of businesses – and a council – have listened to calls to from the public and have made the decision not to host hunts. Public opinion matters. When we tell companies, landowners and councils what we think about their support of hunting, we can have a […]
Ben Wallace hits out at top police officer in a desperate bid to save hunting
Fervent hunt supporter Ben Wallace, a former defence secretary in the Conservative government, has hit out at the policing of fox hunting. Now a hunting industry official, his bid to portray hunters as victims of ‘two-tiered’ policing reeks of desperation. Wallace, who is on the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) board, has used right-leaning The […]
‘SMOKESCREEN SATURDAY’: the sham that is ‘national trail hunting day’
The hunting industry’s Big Day is approaching: the moment when it desperately tries to convince the Labour government that it isn’t breaking the law – despite 20 years of evidence showing otherwise. The National Trail Hunting Day – dubbed ‘Smokescreen Saturday’ by hunt saboteurs and monitors – will take place on 14 September. The British […]
Hunt-hosting rugby club axes member after Boxing Day parade demo
Castle Cary Rugby Union Football Club in Somerset has terminated the membership of one of its longstanding supporters after she protested against its hosting of a hunt. The rugby club hosted the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (BSV) on Boxing Day in 2023. The hunt used to hold its parade in Castle Cary town centre. […]
SHOCKING: Renowned Rewilding Knepp Estate hosts notorious hunt
The Knepp Wildland Estate describes itself as “a leading light in the conservation movement”, as “trailblazing”, and “rewilding pioneers”. Run by estate owner Charlie Burrell and his wife Isabella Tree, Knepp’s 3,500-acre rewilding project is impressive, with many declining species like Turtle Dove, White Admiral, and Nightingale all now thriving. A sighting in Cornwall this […]
SURVEY: Just 18% of public believe trail hunting is NOT a smokescreen
A new survey taken earlier this month has revealed that only 18% of the public believes that trail hunting is NOT a smokescreen to get around the ban on hunting wild animals with dogs. The majority of the public also believes there must be stronger legislation to protect wildlife. The poll, carried out by Survation […]
New evidence strengthens claims hunts bypassing Scotland’s recent anti-hunting laws
Scotland’s Hunting with Dogs Act came into effect in October 2023. The new legislation replaced the previous Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002 and was intended to close loopholes in that law which hunts had exploited since its inception. However, there is mounting evidence that Scottish hunts have found loopholes to exploit in the new […]
Albrighton & Woodland Hunt issued with Community Protection Warning
Another hunt has been issued a Community Protection Warning (CPW). Staffordshire Hunt Saboteurs have announced that the Albrighton & Woodland Hunt is the latest pack to have been given the slap on the wrist by police. The sabs announced: “This comes as a result of their antisocial behaviour including, trespass, lack of hound control, killing […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Labour must end fox hunting for good
On 5 July Labour formed a new government after winning the General Election with a huge majority. The party has pledged to strengthen the Hunting Act 2004, closing the trail hunting loophole. Protect the Wild argues that they can go a huge step further. This article explains how. The hunting industry is on its last […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Rishi Sunak: it’s time to go!
Ahead of a worsening economic outlook and with his personal popularity at a historic low, on May 22nd Rishi Sunak decided ‘enough was enough’ and called a General Election. It was certainly about time. Even without his self-sabotaging gaffes this week – including of course his spectacular lack of respect for the thousands who died […]
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 […]
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 […]
SIGN THE PETITION: Drop The Newt from the Chelsea Flower Show
The world famous Chelsea Flower Show, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), is running between 21 and 25 May. Its headline sponsor is luxury hotel The Newt – a business that supports hunting. Protect the Wild is asking our readers to sign a petition, calling on the RHS to cut its association with the […]
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 […]
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 […]
BREAKING: Warwickshire Hunt charged under the Hunting Act
Warwickshire Police has been under the spotlight for many months, repeatedly criticised for its biased policing of the Warwickshire Hunt. Meanwhile, Warwickshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Philip Seccombe, has been accused by many of having direct involvement over the policing of his hunting friends. Now, in a surprising U-turn, the police force has announced […]
South Durham Hunt: yet another hunt recorded breaking the law
The evidence that hunts don’t just break the law occasionally but break it routinely has never been seen by so many people. From Channel 4 exposes to numerous Facebook pages managed by monitors and sabs, the lie that fox hunts are just ‘out trail hunting’ has been exposed over and over again this so-called ‘hunting […]
GREAT NEWS! Yet another hunt is going…
The Pendle Forest and Craven Harriers, a hare hunt covering Lancashire and North Yorkshire and based at kennels at Coniston Hall near Skipton, are disbanding. They join a long list of hunts folding as landowners and the public turn more and more against them. The Hunt made the announcement on 12 March, saying that the […]
