Top Stories

FOX KILL – Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR) have video of a fox being torn apart by South Dorset Hounds.  Dorset Police Rural Crime Team are investigating.

FOX KILL IN SCHOOL – Grafton Hunt chased a fox across the playing fields at Stowe School, and killed it in one of the school’s outbuildings. The Hunt then removed the body of the dead fox. Grafton Hunt Watch are appealing for any video evidence.

DEER KILL – South Hampshire Hunt Sabs report that the Hursley Hambledon Hunt hounds killed a deer. The sabs had the unpleasant experience of hearing the animal’s screams as it was torn apart.

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CHASED TO GROUND – The Lake District Hunt Sabs report that the Blencathra Hunt chased a fox to ground but did not dare to put a terrier in to frighten it out with sabs present. For over 50 mins the hounds circled the access to the fox’s underground refuge. The police did respond and have received footage of the incident.

HARE HUNTING FOOTAGE – When Hunt Sabs turn up at a hare coursing meet, the coursers normally pack up immediately as they cannot disguise their illegal activity under the smokescreen of laying a trail. Last weekend, West Midlands Hunt Sabs detected and followed the Dummer Beagles with a drone and took excellent footage of them hunting illegally. The hunt had not spotted the drone and were not aware that sabs were close by.

HOUND ON MAIN ROAD – Hertfordshire Hunt Sabs have video of a hound from the Puckeridge and Essex Union Hunt running loose along a main road. The Hunt already have a CPN issued against them. The Hunt also broke the camcorder belonging to the sabs.

SAB ASSAULT – Mendip Hunt Sabs report that the Mendip Farmers Hunt’s terriermen stole the cameras from and badly assaulted a female sab who interrupted them during a dig out.

SAB ASSAULT – A member of the Three Counties Hunt Sabs was assaulted by the North Cotswolds Hunt and Heythrop Hunt. She was badly shaken and blood was drawn. Police are investigating the assault.

WARWICKSHIRE – A member of the Warwickshire Hunt deliberately rode into a sab causing a fractured coccyx and whiplash injuries. Video of the assault is available on the West Midlands Hunt Sabs Facebook page. The injured sab “is doing well considering the amount of pain she is in.” Recently, Warwickshire Police met with the Hunt to “set out their expectations.”

SAB VEHICLE DAMAGE –  Sheffield Hunt Sabs report that on Saturday 7/12/24 someone slashed a tyre on their vehicle and one of their members was head-butted by a hunt supporter from the Grove and Rufford Hunt.

SCOTLAND – On Tues. 2/12/24, the Buccleuch Hunt went out with a full pack of hounds. This could only be legal if they were drag hunting.

COMMUNITY RESOLUTION – Gloucester Rural Crime Team have issued a Community Resolution to the Heythrop Hunt.  On18/10/24 Chris Woodward, thrice convicted huntsman, lost control of the hounds near the Fosse Way and in the Cotswold village of Bourton on the Water.

EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL HUNTING –  Beds and Bucks Hunt Sabs think they may have collected enough video evidence for the police to proceed against the Fitzwilliam Hunt for their illegal hunting on Sat 30/11/24.

GUILTY – On Tuesday 3/12/24, South Shropshire Hunt terrier man, David Conde, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to interfering with a badger sett. The video evidence against him, taken with a trail camera, was overwhelming. He will be sentenced on 29/01/25. His two accomplices have pleaded not guilty to the same offence which dates from Jan ‘24, and their trial date is set for 12/06/25.Further footage of a member of South Shropshire Hunt blocking a badger sett has been passed to the police for another investigation.

POLICE IGNORE ILLEGAL HUNTING – When Dorset Against Bloodsports called the police because the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt were clearly hunting a fox, an officer from Avon and Somerset police attended. He spoke first to the Huntmaster who informed him that they were trail hunting and the officer then spoke to sabs, telling them there was no criminal activity occurring. He left the scene.

HUNT THROWN OUT – On Tuesday 26/11/24, Cheshire Hounds were asked to leave the Darnhall Equestrian Centre. It was not just the Darnhall Equestrian Centre that objected to the presence of the Hunt, and its photographer, but also three other landowners.

HARE HUNT SABBED – On Wednesday 27th, the Hunt of the Royal Agricultural University (The RAC Beagles) was sabbed, and had to pack up almost immediately. Police attended.

ACTIVIST SPEAKS OUT – “It was great to see/speak to the locals when the hunt was in */*,” said an activist. “Week on week now we are speaking to irate locals & farmers who are coming out and voicing their anger towards the hunt. They feel empowered now as more and more members of the public are speaking out.”

HUNT VENUE – AAF Midlands has written to the venue that has agreed to host the Warwickshire Hunt’s Christmas meal event. The link below is a great example of how the high street and keyboard activists combat fox hunting.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14uHJk5EPD/?mibextid=WC7FNe

SCOTLAND – Glasgow Hunt Sabs report that a border hunt, the Liddesdale Foxhounds, shut down during this summer (2024).

SAB GROUPS MERGE – The Cumbria and the Lancashire Hunt Sabs are merging to form one group, the Lake District Hunt Sabs.

POLICE FINE – Hayden Hankey, a big name in the show jumping world and erstwhile hunter with the Cheshire Forest Hunt, has been fined for obstructing a police officer in the execution of her duties. He didn’t take kindly to his buddy being arrested after an altercation with a lady in a pub.

SLURRY LEAK – Mark Pearson, the huntsman with the South Dorset Hunt, has been charged by the Environmental Agency for allowing slurry from his dairy herd to run across fields into a nearby river.

DEATH OF A HUNTER – An inquest has heard that on 8th November Terry Cartridge, a farmer visiting the Dulverton West Hunt, died as a result of falling off his horse.

SNARES – It is now illegal to use glue or snare traps in Scotland. But the sale of these traps is still legal.

Campaigns and things to do (now)

BOXING DAY gives us a campaigning platform like no other. They come out and show themselves – so we point out to everyone what it is they are really doing. Help us, by telling the public not to go to a Festive Meet.
Order Boxing Day/New Year’s Day leaflets from AAF to distribute in towns with a Festive Meet

AAF Outreach

Outreach is our business. We need to talk to people outside of Social Media. Standing in the street, talking to people about foxhunting is easier than you might think.  Please contact Alyson Rogers, Outreach Advisor a.rogers@actionagainstfoxhunting.org and she will help you to everything you need.

Thank you to all the saboteur and monitor groups whose hit reports we have used in our Newsbyte. Please let us know if we have made any mistakes – info@actionagainstfoxhunting.org