2017-18 Season review.

Although for us the season never really finishes, we are always out and about up to stuff, whether it’s gathering intel or sett surveying. But for arguments sake we’ll call the start of the season as the start of September when we started in the Cheshire cull zone. This was the first cull in Cheshire, we’d spent the previous years in the Gloucestershire cull zone, so we could draw on all our previous experiences for this years slaughter of innocent badgers. The fact that the cull was extended in Cheshire proving they could not hit their lower target is again more proof of the success we had in disrupting this senseless destruction of our native wildlife. One of the few pluses we can take is the like minded people you meet at the cull zone. Whether it’s day patrols or out in a field at 3am, it’s heart warming to meet such compassionate people. It’s a good opportunity to make new friends and indeed recruit new members to our sabbing team. If you are interested in getting involved in Cheshire this year then please contact Cheshire Against the Cull https://www.facebook.com/cheshireagainstthecull/

(Above) Flint and Denbigh huntmaster Jeremy Reed failing to control his hounds.

Our first hit on a fox hunt was October 28th later that we usually start but the badger cull had overlapped much of the cub hunting season, though we were able to drop in on a couple of cubbing meet in the Cheshire cull zone. On the 28th of October whilst attending a meet of the Flint and Denbigh hunt in Trefnant we captured some interesting footage of what we believe to be the hunt illegally hunting a bagged fox, and not long later a blood covered huntmaster Jeremy Reed admiitting to killing the fox.

See our footage  https://www.facebook.com/Nwalessabs/videos/1559353750785237/

Though there was no prosecution brought and to our knowledge the huntmaster was not even interviewed (He has previously been interviewed three times for illegal hunting). This footage did result in a police investigation which lasted throughout the season. Not only did we see the usual cops, who quite honestly haven’t a clue regarding the hunting act and do not understand trespass and appear to be a little scared to get out their vehicles and get themselves muddy in the fields where they might actually see some crime being committed. We also had police liaison officers (or as we like to call them evidence gatherers) on both sides, even the hunt had liaison officers which in its self is a breach of the hunting act. In all fairness our liaison officer was rather nice but due to no fault of her own, more to the fault of other police officers and a certain Sgt, we don’t think we’ll be working with liaison officers in the future. But what we did see on a regular basis was the rural crime time (finally) who attended a number of hunt meets, which really upset the hunt! Sadly on one occasion the wildlife officer let himself down by arresting a sab who pushed back a hunt supporter in self-defence. This same hunt supporter is guilty of numerous assaults on sabs but North Wales police have never brought charges against him. What the wildlife police did manage to do was stop the illegal use of quad bikes on the roads, this really got to the terrier men who seem to get angrier and angrier each week. With the wildlife police regularly dropping in on the hunt it caused the hunt to go into hiding! The hunt would often cancel their meet later on a Friday evening and instead head out to join Cheshire Forest hunt, despite this hunt also being under police investigation.

 

(Above) Angry Flint and Denbigh terrier men Rob Smith and Mark Wilson.

Through the first half the season we attended numerous Flint and Denbigh hunt meets, though the meets were mostly in the same areas Trefnant Cefn Mostyn and Kinmel estate, there’s not many places that welcome this hunt now. Each and every time we attended the hunt shown their lack of appreciation on the law and the huntmaster Jezza scatterpack Reed shown his lack of control over his hounds. On the first meet we attended whilst hunting a fox a hound was struck by a car and only a couple of weeks later in the exact same stretch of road we had to intervene as the hounds ran riot. See video https://www.facebook.com/Nwalessabs/videos/1476702942383652/

Whilst we were largely out with Cheshire sabs hitting the F&D the Cheshire Forest and the Cheshire Hounds hunt some of our sabs were also able to go further afield and help out other groups like Derby sabs and Welsh borders. What we did witness on numerous occasions both in Wales and Cheshire is what we strongly believe to be the use of bagged foxes. There are still ongoing cases of illegal hunting still with Cheshire police so we will not at this point go into too much detail. On one occasion whilst attending a meet of the Cheshire hounds hunt in mid December one of our sabs was attacked by one of the hunts terrier men, this case is also still ongoing.

 

On another meet of the Cheshire hounds hunt these photos below of the emaciated hounds resulted in the RSPCA attending the hunt kennels to check on the condition of the hounds. The hunt denied access to the RSPCA.

Into the new year and following the shocking antics on Boxing day (still  under police investigation) we paid a visit to Andrew Germans Cheshire Forest on New years day. Numerous groups attended and the very frustrated hunt had to again resort to violence with a female sab getting attack by a rather large hunt supporter. but once again the police completely fail to investigate. We’d see a lot more of the Cheshire Forest in second half the season. It was well reported that at least four foxes were witnessed to be killed by this hunt since Boxing day. The law does not seem to apply to Andrew German and his complete arrogance seems to give the impression he knows this. He was caught illegally hunting, killing foxes, riding at hunt sabs and causing disruption on main roads. He even told a police officer to F*** OFF! before appearing to throw something at the officer who had only told him to get his hounds off the main road. The photo below is another occasion when he lost control of his hounds next to a motorway, again the police did nothing. See video https://www.facebook.com/Nwalessabs/videos/1519708424749770/

Another big story from this season was the badger baiting case of the Dwyryd hunt. Rather than us repeat this story please check out our blog Disband the Dwyryd hunt.

The end of the fox hunting season kind of fizzled out. With the Flint and Denbigh finishing towards the end a Feb and the weather disrupting the end meets of the Cheshire hunts.

There was quite a media storm after we posted this video of local councillor and F&D hunt employee Ed Lloyd-Ellis https://www.facebook.com/Nwalessabs/videos/1559145930806019/

The story was also picked up by the Daily post https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/councillor-foul-mouthed-meltdown-hunt-14400703 and also the Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1646936/Video-Community-councillor-angry-confrontation-anti-hunting-group.html

We urge people not to directly contact Mr Lloyd-Ellis this matter is being dealt with by the ombudsman for Wales and will take some time as we have around 5 years worth a footage of this shamed councillor acting inappropriately. We’ll update you as and when we can.

Though the fox hunting season here is over our work continues. We are already out and about sett surveying and we have fundraising plans for this summer.

Thanks for all your support and we’ll see you soon in a field near you!