Well it’s been a crazy couple of weeks and time has been at a premium hence the lack of updates. Once again I’ve spent a fair bit of time dealing with the press although this time more local than national but it’s all good coverage and on top of that making statements to the police and handing over video evidence. It gives the neighbours something to gossip about though so it’s all good.
I’ll be off again shortly, I took the day off work today as we had a tip off that some illegal beagling was going to take place so I’m sitting here writing this before heading out and seeing if we can catch them in the act. There are hundreds of these majestic animals in the fields close to me at the moment as they gather for the breeding season however nationally they are in serious decline and some parts of the country seem to be devoid of them completely so how anyone can derive any joy from hunting and killing these animals is quite frankly beyond me. We’ve tipped off the relevant police force as well so hopefully we’ll get a good result. UPDATE: See here
If you’ve been keeping up with our exploits on Facebook you’ll no doubt have read our latest report (see here). It was obviously disappointing that the police performance on the day was so poor considering the progress they have been making in recent weeks. I have swapped emails with the Inspector now in charge and we’ll meet to discuss things further face to face shortly. I know the police, and Bedfordshire especially face huge funding issues and need to prepare for these kinds of incidents however they can’t expect us to give them notice of when we’ll be operating in their areas. Our intelligence comes from a network of informers, some even within the hunting community and also from the general public who hate hunting so much and as such this information can come in at the very last minute. As soon as we have this information we let the police know however this will often be on the morning of the hunt.
We’re told that the Oakley also have a police liaison, however the flow on information from them doesn’t seem to be forthcoming from what I understand. If the hunt are refusing to give the police details of their meets then the police can’t expect us to give them a weeks notice to plan things either. It’s best to assume that if the hunt are out, we’ll be out.
It was also highly amusing to note the lies the hunts will tell even though there is irrefutable evidence that will completely debunk all their claims (see here). I’m not sure who they think will believe their nonsense but it’s safe to say you’d have to be seriously mentally challenged to take their word for it. Hey, maybe that’s it, they are just fooling their own side? Regardless of the outcome from last weekend the Oakley have only added more paint to the canvas which portrays them for what they really are; a sad and desperate little hunt with a huntsman who has no control and Masters who rarely seem to turn up that rely on hired thugs and half wits to try and stop people like me from outing their dirty little secrets and telling the truth.
The rumour going around that the Kimblewick hunt hounds had contracted TB has been confirmed as official. This will of course have huge ramification with regards to bio-security and another reason why hunts should’nt be allowed to operate in areas where bTB is a problem. Obviously its a tragedy for the hounds involved that were killed and they, like many other animals connected to hunting are just considered tools to be used and thrown away when no longer of value and not a sentient mammal. It’ll be a story I’ll follow closely and well done to our friends at Hounds Off for breaking the news (see here).
I’m going to sign off this entry with a dedication to a dear friend who was taken from us far too early. At the start of the badger cull when this activist was an accident yet to happen I was contacted by a clubbing friend who lived in the area and wanted to get involved. These were her first steps into AR and something that was to change her life for ever. Over night she became a wildlife warrior and from protecting badgers she went on to join the local sab group and face up to the worse the local fox hunts could throw at her and her little red van. Her parties were the stuff of legend (if you could remember them afterwards) and was the type of person to get on a plane to come and see a friend if she thought something was wrong. She gave everything and yet asked for nothing. She will be sorely missed by everyone and my deepest sympathies go out to her husband Alec and her children.
Tracey – for once not covered in mud.
No Way Back?
Posted: January 8, 2019 in CommentTags: Artificial Earth, Belvoir Hunt, Brian May, bTB, Countryside Alliance, Fox released to hounds, Hounds Killed, Hunting with Dogs Act 2004, Kimblewick Hunt, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, Lord Gardnier of Kimble, Master of Foxhounds Association, MIddleton Hunt, New Years Day, Peter Egan, Pytchley Hunt, South Herefordshire Hunt, Team Fox, Terrier Men, Thame showground, Thurlow Hunt
So it would appear that once again a hunt has been caught red handed holding a fox in an artificial earth and then dragging it from the hole and throwing it in front of the hounds to be chased and killed for the enjoyment of their riders and followers. This time it was the Kimblewick, a hunt which recently killed 97 of it’s hounds due to being infected with bTB. A disease that has unnecessarily caused the deaths of ten’s of thousands of badgers due to the Governments pointless culling policy. The hunt is the plaything of Lord Gardiner of Kimble, a long time Tory who’s been secretary for various ministers and ex chief spin doctor for the so-called Countryside Alliance and now member of the House of Lords.
The incident took place on New Years Day, the meet was at the Thame showground and was claimed as one of the high points of the hunting calendar.
The full video can be seen below.
I don’t think the video needs any explanation here. The Times originally reported on this and it’s clearly going to be a story which isn’t going to go away any time soon and has even made BBC TV. Considering the Kimblewick’s recent history and their claims of being a “super hunt” (whatever that may be) this is certainly big news. Whether there will be any action with regards to prosecutions remains to be seen however even to the most myopic viewer the video is clear evidence of illegal hunting or at the very least the intent to hunt a wild mammal. The terrier men are clearly working under the instruction of the huntsman so one would assume “joint venture” could be worth considering from a legal standpoint.
This compelling evidence once again blows apart the myth that hunts are obeying the law and legally following a trail. What shouldn’t be understated is the frequency in which this takes place. Hunts up and down the country will have artificial earths in their territory and will maintain these in an effort to have foxes to hunt on any given hunt day. This is certainly nothing new or out of the ordinary. Fairly recently the South Herefordshire, the Middleton, the Pytchley, and the Belvoir have all been implicated in keeping foxes purely for the purpose of hunting.
What happened to the fox on New Years Day remains unknown.
The so-called CA and Dim Tim Bonner are certainly going to have a hard time talking their way out of this one especially as their Head of Hunting (Polly Portwin) pretty much lives next door to the Kimblewick kennels and rides with them although they’ll no doubt do their best. If the Masters of Foxhounds Association have any credibility whatsoever they will suspend the Kimblewick immediately and then expel them after their own investigation but let’s face it, what are the real chances of that?
You’re absolutely right Peter, let’s see some action for the authorities
The simple fact is that the hunting lobby like to promote this chocolate box image of hunting, the spectacle and the pomp and also that they somehow provide a service to farmers by controlling fox numbers, not that its even necessary. The truth is however vastly different and this is being shown time and again. Even in the face of such overwhelming evidence some hunt supporters are offering their own explanation which is, as you’d expect completely laughable.
Jo is clearly a master of fantasy fiction
Fox hunting (and all hunting with hounds) is nothing more than organised crime, an organised crime who’s product is cruelty to wildlife, enjoyed by a psychopathic minority who are prepared to pay for the privilege and will employ the lowest of the low to do their dirty work, be that digging out foxes or conducting violent operations against those who oppose them. The fact it is so deeply entrenched within the establishment means we are fighting a constant battle against those who wield both power and influence.
It’s time that changed.
ADDITIONAL
Below is an exert from a post on Facebook by Team Fox (Save Me Trust) run by Brian May. Let’s hope they are as good as their word if the authorities don’t hold the perpetrators to account.