England: Animals in the Care of Hobby Hunters Suffer

Investigative documentary exposes cruel practices of hobby hunters in Northern Ireland.

Hunting is a bloodsport in which deliberate (often fatal) fights are staged between hunting dogs and wild animals such as foxes or badgers. This cruel practice is not only widespread throughout Northern Ireland but causes unimaginable suffering for both the hobby hunters' dogs and the animals being hunted.

The new investigation revealed a shadowy underworld in which private membership groups exchange graphic videos and images of mauled prey and brutally injured dogs. It is believed that at least 150 individuals are actively involved and that there are up to 14’000 cases of cruel badger baiting in Northern Ireland every year.

Badger baiting is illegal in Northern Ireland, as badgers are a protected species. Foxes, however, enjoy no such legal protection.

We would welcome the police establishing, even if only on a temporary basis, a dedicated unit that proactively investigates this network of over 150 badger baiters in Northern Ireland and brings them to justice. While fox hunting is legal, the chances of securing a conviction as a badger baiter are slim, because there is the defence, the cover of «I was only hunting foxes«, when in reality it was badgers they were hunting. 99% of individuals laying bait in Northern Ireland were targeting both foxes and badgers.

Brendan Mullen, USPCA Chief Executive