Call to strengthen hunting ban after fox is torn apart in garden

Martin Shipton

A Powys resident who filmed a fox being torn apart by hunt hounds in a neighbour’s garden says the experience was horrific and that the law banning hunting with dogs needs to be strengthened.

The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, tried calling off the hounds, but despite screaming and shouting, nothing worked and she was left feeling traumatised..

A hunting horn was heard in a neighbouring field and two quad bikes and a 4X4 were seen on top of a nearby hill during the incident.

The incident began with the resident hearing dogs outside and seeing 15 hounds on her front lawn and in an adjacent field upsetting her horse.

She then left her home and saw a fox being chased by the hunt hounds around a house and up a driveway to another home before they caught it and began tearing it apart.

Horrible

The resident said there was nothing left of the fox after the attack: “It happened a month ago but I think about it every day. It’s horrible,” she said. “I also have a dog who was luckily inside but my neighbour has cats and I was seriously worried for them. The hounds also scared my horse who was stressed and snorting with hounds running around the field.”

Readers may find the following video distressing.

The incident took place on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 3.30pm. The fox is barely visible in the video but the clearly distraught cries of the resident are heard as the hounds kill the fox.

The incident was reported to the police but they have now closed the investigation as no individuals can be linked to the event.

There are two local hunts, one of which goes out on foot and in vehicles during the week and only on horseback on Saturdays.

Appalling

The resident told Nation.Cymru: “I think it’s appalling that people get pleasure out of witnessing an animal being torn apart and that they can behave like this with impunity. I wish I could have seen the number plates of the vehicles – that would have helped the police with their inquiry.

“I’m also aware that hunts are using loopholes in the law to avoid prosecution and that there’s a need to tighten the legislation. I was aware that foxes were still being hunted, but had never seen anything like this before. Witnessing what I did really brings home the horror of it. The experience has stayed with me and I decided to report the incident to the League Against Cruel Sports.

“Unfortunately where I live is a very Conservative area and a lot of people support fox hunting, even though it is against the law. The local hunt will be out in force on Boxing Day and I expect people will be cheering them on. It’s time hunting was ended for good and I hope that if Labour wins the general election next year they strengthen the law and make it harder for them to get away with it.”

Distressing

Emma Judd, head of campaigns and communications at animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This savage and distressing incident shows that the brutal blood sport of fox hunting is still taking place in Wales despite the ban, with foxes still being sadly torn to pieces.

“What sets this fox kill apart is that it took place right in front of an understandably upset resident of this rural community.

“It’s time for change. It’s time for hunting laws to be strengthened in Wales and England to end this barbaric activity once and for all.”

The incident was reported to the League Against Cruel Sports’ Animal Crimewatch service which enables the public to report cruelty inflicted on animals in the name of “sport”.