WEST MIDLANDS HUNT SABOTEURS
The pictures could have come from the days of legal foxhunting, but were in fact shot last month by activists following a trail hunt.
The video posted online by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs, of the Warwickshire Hunt, reignites the debate over fox hunting.
Although it was made illegal in 2004, drag and trail hunting is still allowed, in which hounds follow an artifi cially laid down scent trail.
They are not supposed to chase foxes but sometimes pick up the animals’ scent and kill them.
WEST MIDLANDS HUNT SABOTEURS
Trail hunting...continues to be used as a cover for illegal hunting and the fact the issue has been raised in Parliament shows just how severe the level of concern is amongst the public.
The saboteurs’ Facebook report on the incident reads: “Every time we go to the Warwickshire Hunt at the moment we are seeing foxes being chased.
“Saturday was no different. We don’t know if this fox escaped.”
A hunt spokesman said the intention was never to hunt foxes but sometimes “mistakes” happen and hounds pursue foxes.
But hunt staff “work very quickly” to stop this.
Prime Minister Theresa May has backed down on a promise to hold a free Commons vote on legalising foxhunting after opinion polls show the public is still strongly opposed.
And last month MPs raised concerns about trail hunting.
Eduardo Gonçalves, League Against Cruel Sports chief executive, said: “Trail hunting...continues to be used as a cover for illegal hunting and the fact the issue has been raised in Parliament shows just how severe the level of concern is amongst the public.”
