Figures reveal scale of fox hunting in Somerset
The numbers - revealed by the League Against Cruel Sports - claim Somerset is in the top five worst counties in England and Wales for the illegal sport
Somerset is one of the top give worst counties across England and Wales for incidents 'relating to suspected illegal hunting or hunt havoc', according to new data released by the campaign group and animal welfare charity, League Against Cruel Sports.
They say 66 incidents have been recorded in just five months over the last hunting season between November 2022 and April 2023.
Hunt havoc reports included hunts trespassing on private land and railway lines; running amok on roads; chasing livestock and people’s pets; incidents involving the welfare of horses and hounds; badger setts being damaged to prevent foxes fleeing; people being intimidated and caused mental distress; and the chasing of other wildlife such as deer.
The figures are collated by the League from reports across England and Wales by members of the public into the League’s Animal Crimewatch service and by people who monitor hunts’ behaviour.
Across England and Wales, figures show nearly 1000 incidents - 621 of those recorded were of 'hunt havoc', while 361 showed suspected illegal hunting.
In number order, Gloucestershire, Dorset, Yorkshire, Somerset and Cheshire are the counties with the highest number of recorded incidents - with the worst offending hunts being the South Dorset Hunt, Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt, Warwickshire Hunt and Flint and Denbigh Hunt.
Chris Luffingham, deputy CEO of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “These figures show that fox hunts are out of control, still brutally chasing and killing animals and exhibiting a shocking range of anti-social behaviour that is blighting rural communities in Somerset, nearly 20 years after hunting with dogs was supposed to have been banned.
“It’s time for change, time for politicians to step up to the mark and for hunting laws to be strengthened.”
“It beggars belief that hunts are still marauding around Somerset and getting away with their disruptive and callous activities.
“Politicians have a responsibility to ensure law and order is being upheld and need to crack down on what amounts to a rural crime wave by the hunts – the Hunting Act needs to be strengthened to end the misery being inflicted on the lives of both people and animals.”
Back in 2022, when campaigners shared their views on the local authority's approach to trail hunting, a spokesperson from the now-abolished Somerset County Council said: “To be clear, trail hunting is a legal activity as outlined in the Hunting Act of 2004, if anyone thinks the law is being broken they should speak to Avon and Somerset Police.
“As far as we are aware there is currently no trail hunting on our land and appropriate permissions would be needed in order to do so."