Police investigating Essex and Suffolk Hunt after fox bolts from badger sett

essex and suffolk terriermen

Suffolk Police is investigating the Essex and Suffolk Hunt after monitors witnessed members of the hunt trying to force a fox to bolt from a badger sett. The incident happened during the hunt’s Boxing Day meet – the most important day in the hunting calendar. While the hunt master was giving his speech, wildlife monitors […]

The MoD just became even more secretive about hunting on its land

RAH

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has sent the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) a letter, terminating a memorandum of understanding between the animal rights organisation and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Writing for ITV News, Rupert Evelyn said: “The long-standing memorandum between the MOD and LACS is designed to inform the anti-hunting organisation where on the […]

BREAKING: Somerset County Council will NOT close roads for Boxing Day hunts

Mounted field riders with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt gather in a town centre.

After more than 2000 letters protesting the planned closures of public roads to facilitate three Boxing Day hunt parades poured into their offices, Somerset County Council has today issued a statement apologising for ‘misunderstandings’ and confirmed to Protect the Wild that hunts will now be meeting on private roads.   As Protect the Wild reported […]

Podcast 01: Charles Carter runs down Moonraker Hunt Sabs

Moonraker Hunt Sabs

[buzzsprout episode=’11855413′ player=’true’]   A conversation with two members of Wiltshire’s Moonraker Hunt Sabs recorded just a few hours after they uploaded footage to Twitter which shows Charles Carter, Huntsman of the Royal Artillery Hunt, driving his car at them and knocking one of them to the ground. What follows is unverified in that I […]

What is a bagged fox?

Black and white photo showing a fox running from a man that's just released it from a bag

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, […]

Damning text messages incriminate prominent fox hunter Ollie Finnegan

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. […]

Fear for pet as foxhounds tear through Cumbrian village

A dogwalker was left shaken and concerned for their pet as a ‘dangerously out of control’ pack of foxhounds ran towards them chasing a fox in the West Cumbrian village of Lamplugh, according to a report in Cumbria’s News and Star. The local resident, who didn’t want to give their name for fear of retribution, […]

Huntsman found not guilty after video dropped ‘at the eleventh hour’

Wynnstay Hunt hounds running in a line across an open field towards a line of trees on the left hand side of the image.

Wrexham Magistrates’ Court found Chris Woodward not guilty of illegal hunting. Woodward, huntsman of the Wynnstay Hunt, was filmed behind a pack of hounds chasing a fox. But monitors say that the not guilty verdict came after the CPS dropped this evidence from the trial “at the eleventh hour”. Dropped and shocked Cheshire Monitors published […]

Hunts need to be held accountable as a hound is killed by a car

When it comes to hunting, it isn’t just foxes who are victims of this brutal bloodsport. On 29 November a Grove and Rufford Hunt (GRH) hound was hit and killed by a car on the A614. The pack was out of control, forcing cars and lorries to come to a standstill. Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs and […]

Police investigation launched into footage of hunting hounds killing a fox

A rider and terrierman stand with a pack of hunting hounds that have just killed a fox.

Police confirmed they are investigating footage published online that appears to show hounds killing a fox. The incident occurred at Charleton Horethorne, Somerset, during a meet of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. Police investigation On 26 November, hunt monitor group Wildlife Crime Action published a video showing hounds huddled together, ragging something on the […]

Hunt master fined after hunting fox on National Trust land

South Shropshire Hunt illegally hunting on Long Myn National Trust

Hunt master fined £600 after failing to call dogs away while illegally fox hunting on National Trust land South Shropshire Hunt master Daniel Cherriman, aged 37, was filmed in November 2021 trespassing and illegally fox hunting on National Trust land in the Long Mynd area of Church Stretton when the hounds he was in charge […]

Shocking moment fox cowers on residential roof to escape hunt

melgreak hunt chases fox on to roof

In November 2022 shocking images of a terrified fox cowering on the roof of a house emerged on social media. The poor animal had been trying to escape out-of-control foxhounds belonging to the Melbreak Hunt, who had been illegally hunting (according to eyewitness reports) on National Trust owned-land at Whiteside, east of Loweswater. The Melbreak, […]

Criminal Dwyryd Hunt master jailed – again.

Copyright RSPCA

Criminal Dwyryd Hunt master jailed – again. Snowdonia farmer David Thomas admitted breaching a disqualification order, causing unnecessary suffering to a hound by kicking it, and failing to look after twenty-nine dogs and two ferrets.   On the 10th of October sheep farmer David William Lloyd Thomas, 56, of Cwm Bowydd Farm, Blaenau Ffestiniog, appeared […]

Thames Valley Police working with Kimblewick Hunt?

fox hounds

Thames Valley Police working with Kimblewick Hunt…surely the police aren’t really aligning with a law-breaking fox hunt?   A few days ago the pro-hunting lobby group Countryside Alliance posted a short ‘news report’ in which they claimed that Thames Valley Police had started working with the notorious Kimblewick Hunt on what was termed a ‘community […]

Video evidence shows fox hunting by Royal Artillery Hunt

royal artillery hunt salisbury plain

Video evidence shows fox hunting by Royal Artillery Hunt   This footage was captured by members of Salisbury Plain Monitors on 30 October 2021. It shows a fox running ahead of Charles Carter, huntsman of the Royal Artillery Hunt (RAH), as Carter blows his horn. The fox then turns into a covert of trees and, […]

Terrierwork, terriermen, and the grotesque world of fox hunting

terrier

Terrierwork, terriermen, and the grotesque world of fox hunting Schedule 1.2 of the Hunting Act (which bans hunting wild animals with hounds) permits the use of “dogs below ground to protect birds for shooting”. It’s sometimes known as the Gamekeeper Exemption. Its wording allows someone to put a terrier in, for example, a fox earth […]

Hunting Office backlash continues…

Hunting Office backlash continues… …leading to an even more undemocratic rearranging of the deckchairs Fox hunting had always assumed it was built on solid foundations. Little wonder really. For hundreds of years the ‘nobility’ ran packs of hounds out of stately homes, killing foxes across land their families owned (or rented out to tenant farmers), […]

New body to regulate fox hunts just another smokescreen?

new hunting body smokescreen

New body set up to regulate fox hunts – just another smokescreen? On 10 June the Hunting Office made an announcement stating that a new representative body, the British Hounds Sports Association (BHSA), will be responsible for the governance of hunts and hunting. A separate regulatory body is being set up, called the Hound Sports […]

Glyndwyr university team will conduct independent review into fox hunting

Police across the UK are renowned for allowing illegal fox and stag hunting to take place. It’s common knowledge to hunt saboteurs that the police ignore the hunting that goes on under their noses, instead turning their attention towards the activists on the ground who are trying save foxes. There’s countless footage all over the […]

Exposed: tax-payer funded covid grants given to hunts

covid grants for hunts

Protect the Wild expose tax-payer funded covid grants given to hunts   “Families across the country are suffering incredible hardship and having to make tough sacrifices due to Covid-19. Why are hard-working people now being made to subsidise hunts to the tune of £160,000?” Back in 2020 Protect the Wild sent out Freedom of Information […]

Mini the cat killed by out of control Western Hunt

mini the cat and car;y

Exclusive interview: Mini the cat killed by out-of-control Western Hunt ‍In March 2021 Mini the cat was chased and killed by hunting hounds in a quiet residential area. The Government should back Mini’s Law (Public and Animal Safety Bill 2021) to ensure the safety of the public and animals from hunting activity, such as trail […]

Hunting Havoc Report reveals shocking level of hunt recklessness

hunt havoc out of control fox hounds

Hunting Havoc Report reveals shocking level of hunt recklessness In the past decade there have been numerous reports of hunting hounds chasing terrified animals and, in some cases, killing domestic animals, livestock and pets. These so-called “accidents” are taking place across the country every year and the hunts repeatedly apologise for their actions and promise […]