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.”