Last Saturday, the Brecon-based Sennybridge Farmers Hunt caught and killed a female fox. Foot sabs rushed into the field but were too far away to stop the kill – it was very sudden.
Sabs had pulled over to allow vehicles to pass and then saw the hounds hunting south along Fforest Fach, west of Defynnog. Suddenly, there was a fox in the field and hounds were on her straight away. Foot sabs raced towards them but sadly the fox was already dead by the time they got there.
The Hunt Saboteurs Association has teamed up with naturalist, environmental activist and TV presenter Chris Packham to shine a light on the cruelty and criminality rife within the hunting world.
The series of 20 hard-hitting videos are being released across the social media pages of Chris Packham and the HSA in a countdown to the festive hunting period, exposing many shocking aspects of present day hunting.
In the last few weeks hunt sabs have been particularly active against beagle and basset packs engaged in illegal hare hunting.
The De Burgh & North Essex Bassets – one of just six remaining basset packs – have been hit on three Saturdays in a row. On each occasion, the hunters put the hounds on leads as soon as sabs were spotted on the horizon. Also in the last couple of weeks, the Severn Vale Beagles and the Royal Agricultural College Beagles both scuttled back to their meets when confronted by Severn Vale Hunt Sabs.
Eleven months since the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act of 2023 became law, Glasgow Hunt Sabs are pleased to report the demise of another Scottish fox hunt. The Liddesdale Foxhounds – who were kennelled in the Scottish Borders – follow in the footsteps of both the Fife Foxhounds and the Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire Hunt in going under.
On Monday December 2nd, a court in Greenland extended Paul Watson’s detention until December 18th, whilst the Danish Ministry of Justice decided whether to extradite him to Japan.
Yesterday, Tuesday 3rd December, South Shropshire Hunt terrierman David Conde pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to interfering with a badger sett.
Conde was caught in January 2024 on hidden cameras in woodland west of Shrewsbury, blocking badger sett entrances with a spade just ahead of a visit by the South Shropshire Hunt.
Today, three members of the hunt – William Hand,Toby Holly and David Conde – appeared in Telford Magistrates Court to answer the charges. Conde pleaded guilty to the offence, and will be sentenced on the 29th January next year. The other two men pleaded not guilty, and their cases will go to trial on the 12th June next year.
On Saturday 29th November, the battle against fox hunting reached new heights – literally – as the Gloucester-based Beaufort Hunt launched a premediated attack on a Wilts Hunt Sab drone.
When West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs arrived at a Dummer Beagles meet in Great Wolford, Warwickshire, they launched their drone to assist the foot team in locating the hunt.
However, not realising the drone was above them, the Dummer Beagles carried on hunting with huntsman Stephen Duckmanton casting the beagles out across a field in the hope of finding the scent of a hare. It wasn’t long before a hare was put up. In the footage A hare waits until the last second before quickly putting a field between itself and the chasing pack of beagles.
Covert footage has been passed to the HSA showing a member of the South Shropshire Hunt blocking a badger sett. Several members of the same hunt are due in court this coming Tuesday on charges of badger sett interference.
Here at the HSA, we have a bit of an aversion to men in red coats. However, we are prepared to make an exception for Father Christmas and remind our supporters that HSA merchandise makes great Christmas presents! Our stunning Christmas cards in two designs are back for 2024. Clothing wise, you can choose from our […]
Yesterday we heard of the passing of former Labour deputy leader and anti-hunt campaigner John Prescott. The former deputy Prime Minister was one of the driving forces behind the passing of the Hunting Act 2004 bill twenty years ago, almost to the day The Rumble in Rhyl In the lead up to the 2001 General […]
The HSA fights on many fronts and, while we have been focussing on hunt opening meets in recent weeks, we don’t forget the injustices taking place elsewhere. With this in mind, moorland campaigner and author Bob Berzins considers the parlous state of Britain’s uplands – and how we got here.
Following tonight’s shocking ITV News exposé, West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs sent the following report:
Like all hunts, the Warwickshire Hunt causes misery to local communities and our wildlife – and we are the only line of defence for foxes in Warwickshire.
On Monday 11th November, Ryan Brennan – terrierman at the Wrexham-based Sir Watkins Williams-Wynn (aka Wynnstay) Hunt – pleaded guilty to interfering with a badger sett. The offences, which took place in January of this year, were captured in a covert surveillance operation.
Kidderminster Magistrates Court branded Brennan’s offences as “serious” and handed him a 10-week prison sentence (suspended for 12 months), a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Brennan must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months.
Another week, and yet another video showing the Wynnstay Hunt engaged in illegal fox hunting. This latest covert footage shows the previously convicted hunt preventing a fox going to ground in a badger sett and scaring her back towards their pack of hounds.
The video, taken on 5 th November near Wrexham, features the hunt’s employed terrierman Ryan Brennan – currently under investigation for causing a dog to enter a badger sett – and Alistair Johnson, a regular lackey for the Wynnstay.
The badger sett is on a public footpath in woodland known to be frequented by foxes. Normally, the hunt block up this particular badger sett with spades – a practice they have been found guilty of in the past.
Somerset Hunt Sabs report…
A bit of backstory: Wednesday 8th January 2020 – just before Covid brought the country to a halt – a village hall on the Quantocks hosted an open meeting to discuss the fate of the struggling West Somerset Vale Hunt. The decision was made to merge with the Weston & Banwell Harriers “for preservation of hunting in this area”.
Fast-forward to September 2022 and Steve Burton is trotted out as the new huntsman for the merged and catchily-titled Weston & Banwell Harriers/West Somerset Vale (WBHWSV). But this year a group of dedicated locals has also entered the scene. Most of us had spent a decade opposing the badger cull and we are now determined to confront illegal foxhunting too.
With most fox hunts having held their opening meets last Saturday, the HSA is today releasing further footage showing the cruel and illegal practice of ‘bolting’ taken by one of the hunters themselves.
As the video opens, a gang of hunters are using a spade, and perhaps terriers, to dislodge a fox from his underground refuge. As soon as the terrified fox bolts downhill, he is pursued by a large pack of baying fell hounds. Hunt supporters – eager to get a view of the fox’s suffering – can be seen scattered across the distant fellside.
While we do not know the fate of this fox, this form of bolting is designed to keep the hounds ‘in blood’ by all but guaranteeing a kill.
The Hunt Saboteurs Association is once again urging its supporters to take action in support of Captain Paul Watson. Paul’s detention was extended by a further three weeks by a Danish court on October 23rd , putting his next hearing back until November 13th.
Captain Paul Watson will need very little introduction to supporters of the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Indeed, there has always been a close affinity between hunt sabs and Sea Shepherd/CPWF (Captain Paul Watson Foundation), with many sabs having crewed on Sea Shepherd/CPWF vessels over the years.
With many hunts having their opening meets last Saturday and the remainder due to meet this coming November 2 nd , the HSA is today releasing the second of three videos – filmed by hunters – showing the cruel and illegal practice of ‘bolting.’
The video opens with a group of hunters and hounds gathered on a distant hillside. At least one hunt terrierman can be seen banging a stick or spade on the ground – a common technique for frightening a fox into bolting from their underground refuge.
Yesterday, Monday 28th October, Neil Burton the huntsman for the Burton Hunt returned to Lincoln Magistrates Court charged under section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.
The charges related to an incident that occurred on Riseholme Lane, very close to the hunts’ kennels on January 27 th 2024, where Lincoln Hunt Sabs observed and filmed Neil intentionally encourage his hounds to hunt a fox.
