Hunting in even more trouble now then

[Prancerpoos]

Horrible video in The Times this morning of foxes being dug out so the hounds can get them. Do none of these hunters have pet dogs? Can they not see any similarity to their dog being terrified down a hole, being dug out, and thrown to its death in front of, literally, baying hounds and people?

“The video clip, sent to ITV News, appears to show members of the Avon Vale hunt digging into the den before first retrieving a terrier and then pulling out a fox by the scruff of its neck.

While a huntsman, dressed in a green hunting jacket, white jodhpurs and dark riding boots, throws the captured fox to the hounds, another animal unexpectedly bolts from the den. A man behind the camera shouts: “There’s a brace! There’s a brace!”

Shrieks of laughter can be heard from the assembled hunters both on foot and on horseback as the pack of hounds splits between the two foxes.”

ETA - and yes, I see this is already on the ‘Spot of bother‘ thread, but I don’t read that one any more, but no apologies if this makes more people notice what is going on.

 

[Tiddlypom]

This dreadful incident is indeed being discussed on the Hunting is in a spot of bother' thread, but but for those who don't read that here is the video of the Avon Vale Hunt in action. There was a 3 minute segment on ITVs evening tv news last night about it.

The more people who are aware of just what goes on under the guise of 'trail hunting' the better. These despicable individuals filmed it all themselves.

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-02-08/sickening-video-obtained-by-itv-news-shows-illegal-fox-hunt-in-progress

 

[eahotson]

Very distressing.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Can't watch video, looks awful. How many more times does this have to happen before something gets done?

 

[Sossigpoker]

The Avon Vale the biggest thugs around. They are just violent thugs , nothing more. Stuart Radbourne is very much like them , having witnessed how he treats horses this doesn't surprise me at all .
About time he and a few others went to prison.
But in typical Wiltshire police style,.they will somehow "accidentally " lose something or make mistakes which means that there will be no prosecution.

 

[Millionwords]

At least one member of Wiltshire police is a paid up member of the AVH.

Edited to add photo

 

[Sossigpoker]

A member of Wiltshire police is a paid up member of the AVH.

Laura Hughes. And I bet she's not the only one.
Unsurprisingly, Wiltshire police are in special measures for generally being crap.

 

[Antw23uk]

How sad and disappointing. I'm not particularly anti hunting but this is just barbaric and cruel. There is no 'fighting chance' for these animals, this isnt survival of the fittest, its just animal abuse!

 

[SantaVera]

It's time the same laws as Scotland were brought in with heavy penalties for those breaking them.

 

[Sossigpoker]

It's time the same laws as Scotland were brought in with heavy penalties for those breaking them.

Absolutely!

 

[Fjord]

The idea of trail hunting, where no animals are harmed, is lovely. I'm not brave enough to do it but I can really see the appeal, so it would be awful if that was permanently affected just because some people have to kill things. This behaviour is shocking and there is no excuse for it.

 

[SantaVera]

The idea of trail hunting, where no animals are harmed, is lovely. I'm not brave enough to do it but I can really see the appeal, so it would be awful if that was permanently affected just because some people have to kill things. This behaviour is shocking and there is no excuse for it.

But they are killing foxes during trail hunting seen it happen many times myself and digging out Badger for badger baiting.

 

[AmyMay]

Shall we keep all of this under one roof in the long post in the hunting room?

we don’t need three posts on the same subject…

 

[hock]

Thanks for posting this I wouldn’t have seen it on the other thread. I don’t hunt but I am a bit of a hedge sitter but now firmly anti. I’m disgusted. Thanks to the OP for making me aware.

 

[Rowreach]

Shall we keep all of this under one roof in the long post in the hunting room?

we don’t need three posts on the same subject…

I think quite a lot of us avoid that other thread but are still interested in incidents like this.

It does look like the end of the road for the AVH at least.

 

[babymare]

The photo of that guy holding fox knocks me sick! That is no different to cock fighting or bear baiting, dog fightin. That man hang your head in damn shame. That’s not about the country side but pure blood lust. Sick. Me someone who loved the tradition without kill. That photo proves it cannot happen. Hate to say it but ban all hunting with dogs.

 

[babymare]

Thanks for posting this I wouldn’t have seen it on the other thread. I don’t hunt but I am a bit of a hedge sitter but now firmly anti. I’m disgusted. Thanks to the OP for making me aware.

I was always on the fence. If hunts played right and followed the rules ok. Now I’m anti hunt. This disgusts me and now I say ban all hunting with dogs. Sad days

 

[Michen]

That's disgusting. Shame on that hunt, for behaving like that but also ruining it for those hunts who abide by the law.

Absolutely revolting, horrible. I hope they are absolutely ashamed of themselves but I doubt it.

Berks and Bucks draghounds have moved their hounds, they were at the same kennel.

 

[wills_91]

Kinda wish I hadn't opened this thread. There must really be something wrong with people who can do this to an innocent animal and enjoy it. Weird.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Re the Berks and Bucks draghounds removing their hounds from the AVH kennels. One of the delightful individuals involved in the video was apparently both a joint master of both the Avon Vale Hunt and of the Berks and Bucks draghounds. So the drag hunt is tainted by association.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Horrible. There are just no words.

 

[Gallop_Away]

I do not read the other thread so much these days. I'm sick of some individuals demanding myself and other "pro-hunt" posters (please note we are pro-LEGAL-hunting and have made our views for illegal hunting/hunts trespassing/hounds attacking pets and livestock very clear throughout that thread) answer for illegal hunting activities that we have nothing to do with and don't condone in any way. It got rather tedious after a while.
However I'm still interested in the wider discussion.
That video is horrific the hunt needs to be disbanded immediately. It just angers me so much when hunts like ours (a legal trail pack) are being dragged down with the likes of these.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Re the Berks and Bucks draghounds removing their hounds from the AVH kennels. One of the delightful individuals involved in the video was apparently both a joint master of both the Avon Vale Hunt and of the Berks and Bucks draghounds. So the drag hunt is tainted by association.

That would be Stuart Radbourne. He's a vile individual, no stranger to violence to animals. I've seen this first hand.

 

[palo1]

Re the Berks and Bucks draghounds removing their hounds from the AVH kennels. One of the delightful individuals involved in the video was apparently both a joint master of both the Avon Vale Hunt and of the Berks and Bucks draghounds. So the drag hunt is tainted by association.

I do find that odd as drag hunting has such different ways of operating to trail hunting and the Bucks and Berks are a very long established drag hunt. Their days have very predictable lines with loads of jumps and very little hanging about according to friends who have been out with them. I wonder what that mastership brought to the operation? (possibly country, money or contacts I guess...)

 

[Miss_Millie]

I can't bring myself to watch the video, but I have seen enough like it to feel sick at the very thought of what it contains.

What scares me is that there are human beings freely walking about who are capable of such violence and apparently completely devoid of empathy for another living creature. That they actually take pleasure in causing pain, is harrowing. What else are these men capable of?

I truly don't think we'll see the end to this kind of barbarity until hunting is completely banned.

 

[palo1]

I can't bring myself to watch the video, but I have seen enough like it to feel sick at the very thought of what it contains.

What scares me is that there are human beings freely walking about who are capable of such violence and apparently completely devoid of empathy for another living creature. That they actually take pleasure in causing pain, is harrowing. What else are these men capable of?

I truly don't think we'll see the end to this kind of barbarity until hunting is completely banned.

I think you probably also need to consider many other situations where people are 'freely walking about who are capable of such violence and apparantly completely devoid of empathy for another living creature.' There are many, many incidents of appalling cruelty, barbarism and vileness toward animals in our current society. The slaughter industry, all stages of food production and animal sport and the pet trade. This behaviour is certainly not confined to or even centred around hunting - very far from it.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Re the Berks and Bucks draghounds removing their hounds from the AVH kennels. One of the delightful individuals involved in the video was apparently both a joint master of both the Avon Vale Hunt and of the Berks and Bucks draghounds. So the drag hunt is tainted by association.

The Berks and Bucks black and tans put out a statement to state not only have hounds been moved but also with immediate effect that they have no association with that person. Very much immediate disassociation.
The black and tans are very well thought of locally, as also Staff College drag hunt.

 

[palo1]

The Berks and Bucks black and tans put out a statement to state not only have hounds been moved but also with immediate effect that they have no association with that person. Very much immediate disassociation.
The black and tans are very well thought of locally, as also Staff College drag hunt.

Yes, that was my understanding too. I can't quite understand why they would 'need' association with the AVH. But I expect their departure from that orbit was pretty speedy!!

 

[Orangehorse]

I do find that odd as drag hunting has such different ways of operating to trail hunting and the Bucks and Berks are a very long established drag hunt. Their days have very predictable lines with loads of jumps and very little hanging about according to friends who have been out with them. I wonder what that mastership brought to the operation? (possibly country, money or contacts I guess...)

Draghounds used to have to hold meets with the co-operation of the local packs of hounds.

There is nothing illegal in killing a fox. How it is killed is the question. I agree that the video was awful.

As someone who went foxhunting, enjoyed it, and opposed the ban, I think the days of hunting are over, except for drag hunting.

Someone asked me years and years ago if I thought hunting could survive and I said it would end up as drag hunting.

 

[cauda equina]

I think you probably also need to consider many other situations where people are 'freely walking about who are capable of such violence and apparantly completely devoid of empathy for another living creature.' There are many, many incidents of appalling cruelty, barbarism and vileness toward animals in our current society. The slaughter industry, all stages of food production and animal sport and the pet trade. This behaviour is certainly not confined to or even centred around hunting - very far from it.

And it's not limited to animal cruelty either; there are also people freely walking about who do the most awful things to their partners, children or other people