HSA News

Author and activist Bob Berzins continues his series of posts looking at the horrors of the shooting industry. Pheasants and red-legged partridges are not native

When the Hunting Act came into force in February 2005, we were all hopeful that it would see the end of animals being hunted and killed by packs of hounds, at least overtly. We were sorely disappointed, as some police Chief Constable openly stated they would not police the act and hunt sabs, who were used to numerous police officers attending hunts to hassle them, disappeared overnight as the police suddenly had ‘no resources’ to police them. The police have mainly used the act against hare coursers, with a single conviction in 2007 on the Flint & Denbigh Hunt from evidence gathered by the police.

April is traditionally when Sab Groups across the UK take a deep breath after the challenges of the fox and hare hunting seasons, conduct maintenance on our kit, fundraise where needed and enjoy a little downtime before getting stuck into tracking down the mink and otter packs and preparing for combatting the gamebird shoots and badger culling to come. This has all changed for many of our comrades in the south and west as we increasingly turn our attention to the horrific stag hunting across the west country.

Back in 1963, the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) was created by people who saw the need for an organisation using direct action to combat the evils of hunting. The HSA quickly grew around the country and as the years passed the organisation became more formal with a constitution and committee. In the late 1980s a rogue element on the committee tried to take us away from direct action but were roundly defeated and disappeared into obscurity.

Over the past two decades, successive committees have pursued a more professional approach in our literature, merchandise and general outreach to the public and Parliament. This has seen our finances grow considerably and, with no wages to burden us, the vast majority of our resources are pumped back into our local groups, which includes action against the badger cull and shooting.

The summer hunting (and sabbing) season is now under way, with a number of hunt sab groups stopping the Dove Valley Mink Hounds in Staffordshire on Saturday.

When the HSA was founded in 1963 it had one simple aim: to promote radical direct action against all bloodsports. We have never wavered from this founding principle and have faced down decades of hunt violence, corrupt policing and hostile legislation. Today, the HSA is proud to support over sixty affiliated groups who save the lives of hunted animals week-in, week-out across the country.

Three Counties Hunt Sabs learned last week that charges against Oliver Dale — master and huntsman of the North Cotswold Hunt — for breaching the Hunting Act have been dropped. While sabs are naturally disappointed by this outcome, it highlights precisely why the Hunting Act must be strengthened.

Mink hunting is one of the most secretive of bloodsports and is hardly ever witnessed by outsiders. Legendary hunt sab and undercover investigator Mike Huskisson is one of very few people to have seen a mink hunt in action, having infiltrated hunts across the country in the guise of ‘Mike Wilkins’ in the early 1980s.

For the past year, a false accusation of harassment from the Kent Hounds has hung heavy over two West Kent sabs whilst it progressed through

On 16th March 2019, violent hunt thug Luke Saddington launched a terrifying attack on hunt saboteurs, ramming both the Manchester and Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs vehicles off the road, to prevent them from keeping tabs on the Grove & Rufford Hunt.

After a successful campaign by sabs to identify Saddington, he was later arrested and charged with two counts of criminal damage to motor vehicles and one count of dangerous driving. Despite pleading guilty to these charges, he has been awaiting sentencing, due to his involvement in another case, which the judge stated needed to be resolved first.

The Hunt Saboteurs Association has received leaked images and conversations from a closed Facebook group showing that there has been an outbreak of an unknown infectious disease across the Grove & Rufford hunt hounds.

On Saturday, 22nd March, a vet closely associated with the hunt reached out for advice from others in the hunting community after an outbreak of a ‘sudden onset respiratory disease’ had resulted in the death of five hounds and a prediction that there could be another 10-20 deaths in the next 24 hours as, at that point, over 50% of the pack of 70 were showing signs of infection. The poor dogs suffered horrendous symptoms starting with a worsening cough, progressing to blood pouring from nose and mouths, congested lungs, sky high temperatures and rapid heart rates.

A hunt thug left Leicester Magistrates Court yesterday with a two year restraining order, following a prolonged campaign of violence and intimidation against hunt sabs.

Andrew Kean, was facing two charges of assault by beating, and one charge of common assault, while his sidekick, Barrington Nurse-Phillips, was facing two charges of common assault.

The charges related to incidents at the opening meet of the Cottesmore Hunt at Knossington, Leicestershire, in October 2024, while both men were acting as so-called ‘hunt stewards.’

Last year, we published two articles looking at the year-round management of artificial earths by fox hunts to ensure they have plenty of foxes to hunt in certain locations come the start of the season.

We’ve exposed numerous incidents involving this barbaric practice over the years and recently our videos of their use have featured in exposes on national news channels. There can be no better evidence that fox hunting continues unabated across Britain since the 2005 act banning hunting with hounds came into force. The smokescreen of ‘Trail Hunting’ is well and truly dispersed on the winds of artificial earth usage. Despite this, many hunts terriermen continue to construct and maintain them. As the main fox hunting season is now at an end but vegetation is yet to fully obscure artificial earths then what better time to remind ourselves what to look out for when enjoying time in the countryside over the coming months.

Last Tuesday, a young stag was killed by the Quantock Stag Hounds after a prolonged chase. Much of the hunt took place in land owned by Forestry England, despite the fact that FE have banned stag hunting on their land since 1998, when the Bateson Report unequivocally proved the immense suffering that hunted deer endure.

“We were ambushed near the Keri peninsula, by the side of the road. We’d been spotted leaving the mountain. There were around fifteen guys in masks and balaclavas. They were immediately aggressive, grabbing phones, cameras, and backpacks. One of the team had his nose broken, another escaped by rolling off a cliff edge to the road below while being pelted with rocks. After they’d stolen our stuff, they drove off, threatening us not to return if we valued our lives” – Emma, wildlife protection volunteer.