Melbreaking The Law

Cumbria’s Melbreak Foxhounds chased a fox onto a householders roof last Wednesday 9th November. The hunt had already been reported to the National Trust for trespassing on their land at Whiteside near Lorton, before pursuing the terrified animal on to private property.

Hunt personnel then trampled all over the private residential property in an attempt to retrieve their hounds. During the incident, hounds actually entered a resident’s house, greatly traumatising both the residents and the family dog.

The Melbreak Foxhounds are one of six fell packs who hunt on foot across Cumbria’s wild and remote Lake District. Following the infamous Hunting Office Webinars – in which trail hunting was shown to be a smokescreen for traditional hunting – these hunts were banned from both National Trust and Lake District National Park Authority land. However, all the fell packs regularly trespass in these areas, seemingly without consequence from the National Trust or LDNPA.

A HSA spokesperson commented:

“This appalling incident provides yet more evidence of two things we already knew. Firstly, trail hunting is a sham, designed to disguise the illegal hunting of foxes. Secondly, the Cumbrian fell packs are a law unto themselves, repeatedly trespassing on property and intimidating anyone who gets in their way. Fortunately, there are two HSA-affiliated hunt sab groups in the area who are incredibly effective at stopping the fell fox hunters.

Find out more about how you can support the work of Lancashire Hunt Sabs and Cumbria Hunt Sabs.”