England: Hundreds of illegal hunts
Hunting wild animals with hounds was banned in England and Wales in 2004, after animal welfare advocates argued that it causes nothing but unnecessary animal suffering.
A leading animal rights group in England has received 550 reports of illegal hunts taking place across the British countryside since the start of the hunting season last autumn, reports «The Independent».
The anti-hunting group, the League Against Cruel Sports, says the recorded cases are «just the tip of the iceberg», suggesting that thousands of foxes, hares, deer and other animals are being killed illegally every year.
Recreational hunting of wild animals with hounds was banned in England and Wales in 2004, after animal welfare advocates argued that it causes nothing but unnecessary animal suffering.
Traditional hunts, however, in which hounds follow only a scent trail rather than a live animal, remain permitted.
«Trail hunting» as a deception
The Director of the League Against Cruel Sports, Chris Luffingham, says: «Although hobby hunting was banned 13 years ago, little seems to have changed. The public is simply being deceived with the excuse of ‘trail hunting’.»
«Sadly, these reports are just the tip of the iceberg – with more than 300 hunts still actively operating across the British mainland where wildlife is being attacked. We estimate that thousands of wild animals are killed this way every year.»
Hounds kill pets
The anti-hunting organisation has received a further 145 reports of hunting offences committed by hobby hunters. These incidents include hounds killing pets, hounds running through allotments, and hounds running along busy roads and railway lines.
The figures include one incident in which hounds chased a deer and a fox into a cat sanctuary, causing 60 cats to flee. Five cats never returned and are presumed dead.
Mr. Luffingham continues: "After the hunting ban of 2004, a new term entered the English language – 'trail hunting'. This was promoted by hobby hunters as a new pastime in which the aim is to follow an animal scent rather than to chase a live wild animal, in order to imitate the banned hobby hunting as closely as possible. In reality, it precisely mimics the banned hobby hunting; it has become clear that it is a deception and a cover-up for illegal hunting activities."
85% in favour of the hunting ban with dogs
"Hobby hunters rarely lay trails, and even when they do, it is a farce to conceal their illegal hunts behind it. Why are hunting hounds regularly spotted on busy roads, dangerous railway crossings, or in people's gardens if they are supposedly only following a trail? Why are hunting hounds regularly observed chasing wildlife? Why are there so many reports of wild animals dying during hobby hunts?"
A survey by the newspaper "The Independent" from December of last year found that 85 percent of the population in England supported maintaining the current ban on hunting with dogs.
"The public would be appalled if they knew what was really going on in the British countryside and what cruelty and terrible death toll illegal hunts inflict on wildlife," Mr. Luffingham continues.
"We call on landowners to ban hunting events from their land, and we must strengthen the hunting law. Introduce harsher penalties to act as a deterrent."
"The good news is that the world is changing – advances in smartphone video cameras, new monitoring groups on Facebook, and the development of our Animal Crimewatch team mean that the public can report on the activities of hobby hunters and we can bring them to a halt. It is time to put the hobby hunters – not the wildlife – to flight. Hobby hunters are living on borrowed time." More on Crime and Hobby Hunting.
