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West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs

We use a number of tactics including direct-action to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront cruelty in the countryside.

We can be out 3-4 days a week during the hunting season to save hunted and persecuted wildlife from the hunters.

Bloodsports are cruel and barbaric and have no place in modern society.

The West Midlands has a long history of sabotaging hunting. The current incarnation of West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs can trace its roots back to Birmingham Hunt Saboteurs who joined other sab groups to sabotage hunts all over the country. Members of Birmingham Sabs then went on to form Coventry Hunt Saboteurs in order to focus on hunts more local to the Midlands. 2013 saw the start of the Badger Culls and with it a huge influx of new saboteurs. This increase in new members meant there were enough sabs to split to form a new separate sab group, Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs whilst Coventry Hunt Sabs changed their name to West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs to reflect its members and the hunts it was now sabbing. 

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Campaigns

Atherstone Hunt – The real face of fox hunting

After a six year campaign against the Atherstone Hunt to stop them from hunting foxes West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs finally shut down the 200 year old Atherstone Hunt in 2019. Read More

Operation Blackthorn

Our campaign to expose links between local fox hunts and Leicestershire Police’s Operation Blackthorn the hunting operation in the East Midlands. Read More

#StrengthenTheHuntingAct

The Hunting Act needs strengthening to eliminate the loopholes used by fox hunts which allow them to to continue to hunt foxes. Read More

View all of our campaigns here

Investigations

Cotesbach Game – Huge amounts of pheasants dumped in mass open grave

Pheasants are bred and released on an industrial scale in factory farm conditions. They are then shot and dumped in mass open graves. The number of pheasants killed is so big heavy machinery is need to dump them into the pit. Read more

North Cotswold Hunt – Fox feeding and Artificial Earth

West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs investigation into the North Cotswold Hunt led to the hunt being filmed putting food down to encourage foxes to live in their hunting area and also filmed using an artificial fox earth. Read More

Atherstone Hunt – Blocked badger sett

West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs investigation into the Atherstone Hunt led to the Atherstone Hunt terrier-man being filmed blocking a badger sett just hours before the huntsman took the hounds over the same sett. Read More

View all of our investigations here

Recent News

Warwickshire Hunt senior joint master Barbara Hester is trying to censor her role in the Cheltenham Festival which helped to spread Covid-19 across the country

Warwickshire Hunt senior joint master Barbara Hester is trying to censor her role in the Cheltenham Festival which helped to spread coroavirus across the country

We haven’t given much thought to Barbara Hester or any of the other animal abusers from the Warwickshire Hunt since the hunting season ended back in February. However it seems Hester has spent her time in lockdown building herself up into a rage at the thought of West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs. She has even gone through some of our old Facebook posts and tried to censor them. As they were some months ago many of you may not remember them. However thanks to Hester we will refresh peoples memory’s by re-posting the full post below.

Whilst much of Europe was in lockdown protecting people from coronavirus Barbara Hester of the Warwickshire Hunt was entering her horse at the Cheltenham Festival – one last chance for a bit of animal abuse before full lockdown happened.

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆

The Cheltenham Festival is a big event in the hunting community and comes at the end of the hunting season for many hunts in the Midlands. This year the Cheltenham Festival has been blamed for spreading Covid-19 as it was allowed to go ahead despite other sports events cancelling. Perhaps it was seen by those who went as one last chance for a bit of animal abuse before full lockdown happened. Pictured is Barbara Hester senior joint-master of the Warwickshire Hunt who not only attended but entered one of her own horses to race at the event “There are fears the mass gathering of more than 250,000 people during the Cheltenham Festival last month helped spread the disease widely across the country as famous faces and members of the public who attended have tested positive

More than 250,000 people walked in through the gates across the four days – and hundreds of them have claimed online that they have since developed symptoms.

The festival took place when Italy was already in lockdown, as of March 9, and drew criticism for still going ahead.” (The Times)

Warwickshire Hunt “fined” £13,000

Hunt pays ‘fine’ for holding up trains as hounds chased a fox on the Banbury to Leamington railway on New Year’s Day – Banbury Guardian

Hunt pays ‘fine’ for holding up trains as hounds chased a fox on the Banbury to Leamington railway on New Year’s Day – Leamington Courier

On the 1st January 2020 the Warwickshire Hunt met at Knightcote and soon began hunting fox covert, a small wood located right next to a main train line. Inevitably the hunts hounds, riders and foot supporters all ended up trespassing on the trainline.

Unfortunately a hound was hit and killed by an oncoming train. The train was held up for some time and another 20 services were disrupted because of the delay. Members of the Warwickshire Hunt refused to leave the tracks when asked to by staff from the train.

A hound was hit and killed by the train, no body was found by the train company but then the hunt members trespassing all over the line refused to leave the tracks so would have had plenty of time to hide the body

The Warwickshire Hunt admitted their guilt and were subject to a community resolution where they paid Network Rail over £13K compensation for the lost minutes to train services and wrote a letter of apology. To say that the Warwickshire Hunt have gotten off lightly is an understatement.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs said “

“Why did the police bother to ask the public to identify individuals on the train line if they had no intention of charging them with criminal trespass or malicious obstruction?”

“The hunt always complains about saboteurs trespassing as if it’s the worst crime in the world so we find it hugely hypocritical that they themselves trespass on a regular basis through people’s gardens, church yards and railway tracks.”

Fox killed day after the 15th Anniversary of the Hunting Act

Shocking footage appears to shows fox being savaged to death by pack of hunt hounds – London Economic

Update: Video released of Warwickshire Hunt pursuing fox in Lower Tysoe – Banbury Guardian

On Wednesday the 19th February – the day after the 15th anniversary of the Hunting Act, the Warwickshire Hunt chased and killed a fox in front of saboteurs. The hunts Whipper-In jumped off his horse and into the hedge where the hounds had killed the fox and took the body away from cameras.

The hunt had been hunting on Spring Hill close to the Sun Rising Hill section of the A422 and hunted down the hill into Lower Tysoe. It was on the road leading into Lower Tysoe that the hounds chased and killed a fox in the hedgerow in front of saboteurs.

This is the second time in two months that the Warwickshire Hunt have been documented killing a fox.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs said “We saw the hounds chasing something down the hill towards Lower Tysoe. We drove round just in time to see a fox cross the road and dive into the hedge with huntsman and hounds close behind. The fox looked exhausted as if it had been running for some time. The hounds chased it up and down the hedge line before surrounding it and killing it. The hunts Whipper-In jumped off his horse and into the hedge where he grabbed the body and took it away from our cameras.

Members of the Warwickshire Hunt physically prevented us from entering a field to help save the fox and even tried to block us from filming what was happening. What we find the most shocking and perverted about this incident is that the Warwickshire Hunt told us they had at least 10 children out with them. We really hope that none of these children witnessed this fox being killed and think it highly irresponsible of their parents to allow them out at a fox hunt in the first place.

They then carried on as if nothing had happened and minutes later they were chasing another fox and the hounds ran out on the blind bend on Sun Rising Hill. It’s a busy road and the hunts actions could easily have caused a road traffic accident. Hounds and riders then went up and down the road causing tailbacks. This isn’t the first time we have witnessed the Warwickshire Hunt use a busy main road as their personal playground.

It is ironic that this fox was killed almost 15 years to the day since the Hunting Act came into force to ban hunting. This fox kill serves as a reminder that 15 years later foxes are still being hunted and killed on a regular basis, that the Hunting Act with all of its loopholes is not preventing fox hunts from killing foxes. The Hunting Act needs to be strengthened, the loopholes got rid of and a recklessness clause added to prevent hunts from using the excuse that they “accidentally came across a fox and killed it” What we need is a complete and total ban, however until that time comes there will always be hunt saboteurs trying to save all hunted wildlife from the hunters.”

Fox killed by the Warwickshire Hunt

Shocking footage appears to shows fox being savaged to death by pack of hounds – London Economic

Sixth report on Warwickshire Hunt since December claims fox was killed by hounds in Oxhill – Banbury Guardian

Saboteurs claim fox was killed by hounds during hunt at Oxhill – The Leamington Courier

On Wednesday 15th January West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs, Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch and an independent hunt monitor attended a meet of the Warwickshire Hunt in Oxhill. Whilst hunting just outside the village of Oxhill the Warwickshire hounds were seen killing a fox. A member of the hunt can be seen wading into the middle of the pack of hounds and using his whip to move them off the fox. He can then be seen stepping on the body of the fox as one of the hounds goes back to the fox and attempts to drag the body out from under his boot.

A spokesperson for West midlands Hunt Saboteurs said “The first thing we saw when we arrived at the hunt was a fox running for it’s life across the road away from the hunt. The Warwickshire Hunt were ruthless and relentless in their hunting all day. In total there must have been 6 – 7 foxes hunted throughout the day. At this time of year foxes are pairing up and mating so when they are hunted there are quite often two of them about together. Unfortunately one of those foxes was killed by the Warwickshire Hunt near Oxhill. We tried to get into the field to try to save the fox however we were assaulted and physically prevented from getting into the field by the Warwickshire Hunt stewards (who wear pink high-viz). One sab managed to run into the field only to be attacked and taken to the ground by one member of the hunt. We faced extreme provocation all day from members of the hunt especially as the fox was being killed. The Warwickshire Hunt swiftly moved on to the next fox and within minutes were hunting another one. They hunted into the darkness and ended the day hunting on a blind bend on the busy A422 on Edgehill. The huntsman then recklessly started blowing his horn on the road and caused the hounds to spill out all over the road and across to the other side. This was on a blind bend of a busy road as the light was fading. Hunting foxes is clearly more important than the safety of the hounds and horses.

The fact that we were physically blocked from helping the fox speaks volumes. Most compassionate animal loving people would go out of their way to help any animal in distress, instead the Warwickshire Hunt not only stopped us getting to the fox but also attacked us and violently brought one of our group to the ground. This disgusting behaviour is completely unacceptable and extremely concerning. There has been a noticeable escalation in both blatant hunting and violence at all of the hunts we have been to in recent weeks and this is deeply worrying.

The Warwickshire Hunt sees the countryside as their own personal playground and clearly does not see the Hunting Act with its many loopholes as a deterrent. The Hunting Act needs to be strengthened and all forms of hunting completely banned. Unfortunately we had to witness our wildlife being hunted and a fox lost its life because of the actions of the Warwickshire Hunt”

Warwickshire Hunt hound hit and killed by train

Hunt saboteurs release video of hunt as Banbury – Leamington train is halted because of hounds on the line – Banbury Guardian

Police investigate after Warwickshire Hunt hounds stray on to railway track – Coventry Live

Warwickshire Hunt denies hound died after being struck by train – Stratford Herald

Warwickshire Hunt apologises after hounds ran across the railway between Leamington and Banbury – The Leamington Courier

Hounds on New Year’s Day hunt run over railway line near Fenny Compton, claim animal rights activists – The Leamington Courier

During the Warwickshire Hunts New Years Day 2020 hunt meet in Knightcote the hunts hounds ended up out of control and hunted over a train line between Leamington and Banbury. Transport Police have confirmed that a hound was hit and killed by a train. As a result trains were delayed for over half an hour. West Midlands Hunt Sabs were not present with the huntsman or hounds when the incident occurred but were on the other side of the hill at Watergall. Passengers on the train who filmed the hunt from out of the train windows contacted the saboteurs and informed them what was going on. The footage filmed by passengers was sent to the saboteurs and shows members of the hunt trespassing on the tracks.

This is the Fourth week in a row that the Warwickshire Hunt hounds have rampaged out of control and caused chaos. Previously they have run riot through peoples gardens, through a church and graveyard and caused livestock to escape. Earlier in the year they were caught trespassing on MOD land.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs said “It was inevitable that sooner or later the Warwickshire Hunt were going to cause an accident that killed them, their hounds or a commuter. Their arrogance is astonishing that they think they can use busy roads and railway lines as their own personal playgrounds. Sadly because of their sense of entitlement and overriding need to hunt foxes one of their hounds has now been killed by a train. The Warwickshire Hunt need to start taking some responsibility for their actions and stop trying to pass the blame on to saboteurs. On this occasion saboteurs were nowhere near the trainline, the huntsman or the hounds. There is no excuse for happened on New Years Day, clearly they hunted a fox across the tracks. What can they say? Who in their right mind would take a pack of hounds anywhere near a main train line? They can’t even say they ended up there accidentally because the hunt meet took place at a farm in Knightcote only a few fields away from the train line and at the time the incident happened they were hunting a small wood right next to the trainline. Whose bright idea was it to meet and hunt there in the first place? This is a clear example of why packs of hounds should not be allowed out in the countryside, especially by people who quite clearly have no control over them. Trespassing on railway line is a criminal offence so we hope that British Transport Police take action and prosecute the Warwickshire Hunt who clearly have no concern for their horses or hounds or for any inconvenience they cause for commuters

Senior hunt joint-master Barbara Hester was more concerned with trying to harass hunt saboteurs by playing loud anti-social music next to them than having any concern that one of her hounds had just been hit and killed by a train.

Warwickshire Hunt rampage through graveyard

Hunt hounds run amok in Idlicote graveyard – Banbury Guardian

Warwickshire Hunt hounds rampaged through the village of Idilicote, near Shipston, this past Saturday hunting through a graveyard in St James Church where one hound was seen fouling.

A spokesperson for West midlands Hunt Sabobteurs, who witnessed the incident, said: “This is extremely arrogant and highly disrespectful behaviour from the Warwickshire Hunt, they seem to think they can do what they want when they want.

“No one from the hunt seemed bothered that the hounds were in the graveyard and no one bothered to pick up the dog poo from the graveyard.

“The huntsman was nowhere to be seen as all this was unfolding, the hounds were out of control and left to run rampant.

“There seems to be a common theme with the Warwickshire Hunt that no matter where they go or which village they happen to be near at some point it seems guaranteed that their hounds will rampage all over the place completely out of control either causing chaos or being highly disrespectful.

“You’d have to ask why this keeps happening? Why do they keep losing control of their hounds? And why on earth did they end up in a graveyard in a church? Not long before this incident occurred we saw a fox running from the hounds.

They added: “If the Warwickshire Hunt can’t control their hounds they shouldn’t be taking them out into the countryside.”

Warwickshire Hounds rampage through gardens in Horley

‘Hunt should not be taking hounds out if they have no control’ says saboteurs group – Banbury Guardian

‘Warwickshire Hunt should not be taking hounds out if they have no control’ says saboteurs group after pack ran amok through village – The Leamington Courier

The Warwickshire Hunt were hunting a fox behind houses in Horley near Banbury. The hounds then rampaged through people’s front and back gardens upsetting many of the local residents who wanted to know why there was a pack of hounds running rampant all over their garden. The Hunts Stewards seemed more intent on harassing sabs rather than dealing with the hounds.

A spokesperson for the West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs said: “It seems that wherever the Warwickshire Hunt go they seem to cause complete chaos they are constantly upsetting and distressing the local residents.

“This is not the first time the Warwickshire Hunt hounds have rampaged through locals’ front and back gardens and unfortunately it’s unlikely to be the last.

“You would have to seriously question why if they are doing nothing wrong that their hounds always seem to end up all over the place.

“If the Warwickshire Hunt put as much time and effort in to controlling their hounds as they do to harassing and abusing saboteurs then these incidents may not happen. As it stands however the Warwickshire Hunt shouldn’t be taking their hounds out into the countryside as they clearly have no control over them.”

Warwickshire Hunt cause chaos for landowner

Row erupts over hunt incident when rhea escapes from Avon Dassett field as hounds ‘follow fox’ – The Leamington Courier

Call for banning of trail hunting on National Trust properties following ‘chaos’ at Warwickshire hunt – Leamington Observer

On Monday the Warwickshire Hunt met in Avon Dassett. West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs came across the hounds all over the road where they hunted towards Farnborough. The hounds then hunted over land they have previously been banned from causing one of the landowners Rheas to escape onto the road.

A spokesman for the WMHS said: “The Warwickshire Hunt have demonstrated extreme arrogance trespassing over land they know they are not allowed on and showed no concern or remorse to the landowner when he confronted them.

“Over a short space of time the Warwickshire Hunt completely took over the roads of Avon Dassett with hounds running uncontrolled over them.

“They caused a rhea to escape onto a road that is very close to the M40 motorway. Whilst their huntsman was filmed taking the hounds over to where a fox had been seen running moments before.

“They clearly think they are above the law; they have no regards for anyone else and clearly all that matters to them is being able to hunt foxes unhindered. They will harass any members of the public who get in their way.”

Hunt Sab sexually harassed by huntsman

Huntsman hurls sexist abuse at woman who tried to stop him – Metro

Moment lecherous hunstman verbally abuses female saboteur with crude sexual remarks as she tries to stop expedition with hounds – MailOnline


Huntsman of the Worcestershire Hunt Roderick Wilson sexually harassed a female hunt saboteur.

Saboteurs had been with the Worcestershire Hunt all morning, had moved the hunt on out of several woods and had to stop the hounds after a fox was filmed on the edge of a wood that the hunt were hunting in. At the end of the day the female hunt sab had told Wilson he would be seeing more of us when Wilson replied “I’ll look forward to it. Give me a little stiffy it will”. When challenging him over his comments Wilson and other male hunt members just laughed, he then blew her a kiss as he left.

This disgusting behaviour does not surprise us. We have said before that hunting people are some of the most backward most intolerant people you will ever meet. Female members of our group frequently face sexism and misogyny from male hunting people. We’ve been to the Worcestershire Hunt twice in the past two weeks and on both occasions we have faced unacceptable sexist comments from this hunt. Their attitudes to women are just as shocking as their attitudes towards wildlife. They seem to think that wildlife exists just so they can kill it for their amusement and that women exist to cook their food and have their own sexual amusement. Sexual harassment is not acceptable by anyone under any circumstances.

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