Caught on video - hunt hounds savage fox (WARNING: Graphic footage) (From Ledbury Reporter)
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Caught on video - hunt hounds savage fox (WARNING: Graphic footage)
9:45am Friday 7th December 2012 in News
DISTRESSING: Hunt hounds savage a fox to death
LEDBURY Hunt has strongly denied claims it is deliberately flouting the law by hunting foxes with hounds, after graphic footage was posted on the internet by the Hunt Saboteurs Association.
The footage, now being viewed by the RSPCA, shows a pack of hounds tearing into a fox in a private garden at Eldersfield, Gloucestershire, on November 23 – an incident tht happend after the hunt temporarily lost sight of the pack.
But hunt spokesman, former master Donald Haden said: “There is no evidence that the hounds killed the fox. The probability is, they did.”
However, Mr Haden said the fox appeared to be already dead on the footage, and sometimes hounds may come across a dead fox in a hedgerow, such as one that had been shot previously.
Calling the incident an accident, he said: “There is no evidence of illegal hunting”, and he said it was the hunt itself which first contacted the police, about 15 minutes later.
By law hunts are allowed to follow a pre-set trail but not actively hunt foxes.
Mr Haden said the hounds had been following an artificially laid trail and were out of sight at the time.
When asked if this was acceptable practice, he said: “It is the huntsman’s professional job to keep in touch with the hounds, but in the countryside that is not always possible.
The hounds can scream away in seconds.”
Mr Haden said he “absolutely refuted” claims by the Hunt Saboteurs Association that the Ledbury Hunt was flouting the law on hunting with dogs by deliberately targeting foxes.
Mr Haden said the hunt goes out about 50 times a year and on average only a handful of foxes are killed by the hunt accidentally each year.
Lee Moon, spokesman for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, said: “They are trying to fudge the issue. They are claiming it was an accident, which we do not believe. The actual kill is in the video.
“They are flouting the law, absolutely – the reason being the police does not enforce the act and the act is full of loopholes.”
A Hunt Saboteurs press release states: “Footage of the kill, and from beforehand, is being examined by lawyers from the RSPCA to determine if there are grounds for prosecution under the Hunting Act.”
RSPCA press spokesperson Helen Coen said: “We have been made aware of the footage and are currently looking into it.”
Hounds on trail of fawn
A CONCERNED West Malvern resident was shocked to see a pack of hounds on the trail of a fawn on Tuesday after discovering the animal in his garden.
David Sample, of Lower Road, said a huntsman confirmed they were part of the North Ledbury
Hunt but were trying to get the hounds off the trail of the deer.
Mr Sample raised concerns that the hunt should not have been on the land and described the incident as “distressing, and a situation that should not be allowed.”
The hunt’s joint master, Valerie Allfrey, declined to comment.
WARNING: THE VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES THAT READERS MAY FIND DISTRESSING.
Comments(16)
Auntiecon
says...
2:46pm Sun 9 Dec 12
Idris W
says...
7:38pm Sun 9 Dec 12
Caroline Burton
says...
11:48pm Sun 9 Dec 12
Bongarwiran Appledurain wrote:Some people only see what they want (or don't want) to see. Clearly Bongarwiran Appledurain cares nothing for the life of a fox, for he admitted as much when stating he would be more concerned about his garden!
Looks like a very dead fox to me even before the footage started. Why show all this graphic detail. And what the idea of showing the poor onlooker grimacing into the camera like doctor strangelove?
I'd be more concerned about the damage the dogs did to my garden if it were my property.
As for the poor onlooker, I have seen this person before, he is a hunt follower - fairly obvious by his demeanor, but like I said, some people see only what they want to see.
Incidentally, it's clear to me that the fox is being killed by the hounds and I can assure you Bonga, in this case that is NOT what I want to see!
Dodo leDuck
says...
6:38am Mon 10 Dec 12
In any case, please try not to demean other posters by trying to trivialise their names. It is most impolite.
Caroline Burton
says...
11:38am Mon 10 Dec 12
Dodo leDuck wrote:A figure of speech Dodo, the graphic detail is necessary as evidence to show it was the hounds that killed the fox.
Caroline Burton: You do not want to see a fox being killed. That seems to be the same point made by Bongarwiran Appledurain when he said " why show all the graphic detail". He appears not to either.
In any case, please try not to demean other posters by trying to trivialise their names. It is most impolite.
Bonga's real point was to affirm Donald Haden's suggestion that "the fox appeared to be already dead on the footage". Bonga says "looks like a very dead fox to me even before the footage started". What? neither the fox nor the hounds are visible for at least one full minute after the footage begins. Bonga didn't even view the video!
Dodo leDuck, this is about a fox being tortured to death and the best you can do is tell me I am being "most impolite" because I trivialise fictional names. So sorry, ducky.
Bongarwiran Appledurain
says...
11:56am Mon 10 Dec 12
And don't bother to apologise to me Ms Burton, we could do with a few less of your sort around here.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidociousman
says...
7:13pm Mon 10 Dec 12
PS. You can call me Su.
Caroline Burton
says...
1:01am Tue 11 Dec 12
SupercalifragilisticLove you Su...
expialidociousman wrote:
What sort of a sick society do Bo & Do live in? This news item reports alive animal being torn to pieces by a pack of dogs (which is both cruel and illegal) watched by a moron who grins into the camera. Clearly he's a party to the crime and should be brought to justice, as he would be if the law was being enforced. Over privileged, churlish, individuals like Bo & Do make light of serious criticism because they can think of no defence for this outdated pastime.
PS. You can call me Su.
Dodo leDuck
says...
9:47am Tue 11 Dec 12
expialidocious. Very apt choice of name, your unrealistic attitude to life in general and fox hunting in particular is clearly founded in a Mary Poppins mentality.
In this respect I guess both you and your sidekick/alter ego Ms Caroline Burton are torn between a "mumsie wumsie" approach and an "Emily Marsh" self promotion style.
Caroline Burton
says...
12:27pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Dodo leDuck wrote:Ms Caroline Burton? Ms? You make a lot of assumptions ducky, why not use your real name? What are you afraid of?
Supercalifragilistic
expialidocious. Very apt choice of name, your unrealistic attitude to life in general and fox hunting in particular is clearly founded in a Mary Poppins mentality.
In this respect I guess both you and your sidekick/alter ego Ms Caroline Burton are torn between a "mumsie wumsie" approach and an "Emily Marsh" self promotion style.
This is as much fun as cleaning out a toilet, so you and bonga continue this nonsense together while we mumsie wumsies kick a few ****.
Caroline Burton
says...
12:39pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Bongarwiran Appledurain wrote:I think you're on the wrong page Bonga, this article is about fox hunting, not propriety.
I refuse to enter into this childish discussion about videos of dogs getting at foxes when we have a much larger issue here with the likes of Ms Caroline Burton making light of peoples names.
And don't bother to apologise to me Ms Burton, we could do with a few less of your sort around here.
Dodo leDuck
says...
2:25pm Tue 11 Dec 12
you may blow a fuse.
Caroline Burton
says...
11:31pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Dodo leDuck wrote:Lighten up ducky. I'm not angry with you. In fact, I find your feeble attempts to deflect attention away from the issue of illegal fox hunting rather amusing.
temper temper Ms Caroline Burton.
you may blow a fuse.
Caroline Burton
says...
11:35pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Dodo leDuck wrote:Stop trivialising names doddery duck, Supercalifragilistic
Supercalifragilistic
expialidocious. Very apt choice of name, your unrealistic attitude to life in general and fox hunting in particular is clearly founded in a Mary Poppins mentality.
In this respect I guess both you and your sidekick/alter ego Ms Caroline Burton are torn between a "mumsie wumsie" approach and an "Emily Marsh" self promotion style.
expialidociousman is the correct name.
Dodo leDuck
says...
12:53am Wed 12 Dec 12
Don't stop now.
Bongarwiran Appledurain says...
12:01pm Sat 8 Dec 12
I'd be more concerned about the damage the dogs did to my garden if it were my property.