Hunting on Boxing Day

[GreyMary23]

I've seen numerous reports about Boxing Day hunts going ahead yesterday. What the fuck? I despise hunting anyway - like most decent/sane people - but to allow it to go ahead when so many are spending Christmas alone due to covid is utterly unbelievable. Before anyone says it's because it's outdoors, so is children's sport yet my dc haven't been able to attend rugby or football training in weeks.

How on Earth was this allowed to happen?

How odd!

@GreenlandTheMovie I had to request those photos be removed as they're actually identifying.
The photos were taken yesterday and you're right. There wasn't a mask in sight, hence my unhappiness at the fact I've not seen loved ones but the hunting community can gather with no repercussions.
At the end of the meet, they had a cheeky tipple and spent an hour socialising.
I'm fine if you're questioning the source or times or dates. I would too. But you can no doubt check a few hit reports from sabs yesterday to see similar...

Three counties bloodhounds are supported by Brian May and Farmers bloodhounds are two that i have heard of. They are clean boot which means they follow a human scent. There may be many more but i haven't the time to google.
Maybe your local hunt is legal maybe others are.

Foodiesnoodles I really find a lot of what the sabs are saying is either very abusive or very evasive. I can see why its not standing up as evidence. Its not very hard these days to get proper evidence though, so that doesn't make sense either.

I find it odd that you hung around for so long yesterday so as to witness people socialising for an hour. Surely its too cold for one thing to socialise for an hour outdoors? Or nearly dark. And no-one noticed you (adding to these numbers breaking the rules!) standing outside for an hour observing? Or you have a house conveniently close to a meet? But if so, where are the horseboxes at the end of the day? Because in your photo, which could have been taken anywhere, any time, there are none.

I'd love to check out some proper evidence, rather than "hit" reports (I think thats a typo and it means hunt, so can you link to them...) or being told to google stuff which isn't even there.

@GreenlandTheMovie I was there, with a face covering, socially distancing, in the absolute freezing cold, ensuring the hunt stuck to the trails it is now so keen to be transparent over.

I've sabbed quiiiiite a few hunts and some are better behaved than others. Some are bloodthirsty and will release a bagged fox to ensure there's a kill.

I had plenty of other things I could be doing but since I know this hunt like to hunt foxes and my presence along with a few others, all trying to sab within Covid regulations because none of us want to get ill or pass it onto others, makes a difference, that's how I spent my Boxing Day.

As for getting evidence, in theory it's easy, but proving recklessness is difficult, as the HA was designed to be.

foodiesnoodles yes, but its criminal law with criminal penalties, so any evidence has to meet the criminal standard of evidence, as with any crime. As I know you're aware.

Its been nice talking to you anyway. My main interest in animal welfare is slaughterhouse conditions, it upsets me greatly for many reasons, which I won't go into in this thread. Most people just don't care where their meat comes from, as long as its cheap.

I'd go further. Many people don't care where any of their food comes from, as long as it's cheap.

Sod anyone whose living is growing it!

@GreenlandTheMovie I also share your feelings with regards to slaughterhouses. Awful, awful places.

And yes, evidence has to stand up to criminal law - a law that was designed to not be upheld. Difficult situation.

I totally agree.
Where is the enjoyment of seeing an animal being killed?
Yes, people will say 'it's only scent hunting' but if a trained dog picks up the scent of a fox or rabbit they will chase, it's their nature.

Oh FFS drag hints will not "accidentally" kill foxes because they use bloodhounds not fox hounds and they are trained to follow a scent such as aniseednot fox. Trail hunts use fox hounds and use an artificial fox scent. If you are going to criticise anyone at least get your facts right or you just sound like an ignorant knob.

Greenland wasn't there a law being passed to make cctv in slaughter houses in the U.K. compulsory next year?

Just googled it apparently it's already mandatory In England

@cushioncovers

Greenland wasn't there a law being passed to make cctv in slaughter houses in the U.K. compulsory next year?

I'd need to check but I believe its already been passed. But theres a big problem with the cctv not being monitored, or "not working" or being wiped and spot checks aren't very frequent...

Theres a lot of bad practices going on, but not a lot of effective enforcement or even effective monitoring. The sheer vast number of animals it affects makes it a serious concern.

It's a vile "sport". Anyone who enjoys seeing an animal being ripped to pieces by other animals, which is the desired out come of foxhunting, is scum.
It's nothing do with class or wildlife conservation, tradition or a myriad of excuses you hear from foxhunting lovers.

If you get you get your kicks this way. Fuck you.

Why is it ok to use the word posh in a negative connotation but not "chav" / " working class"?

So we can say we don't like well spoken middle class men on a hunt but can't say we don't like a group of swearing, chanting working class men at a football match?

My parents live in a hunting area and several of their neighbours participate, still hunting foxes quite openly (they have told my parents this is what they do - justifying it because foxes try to get into their chicken coops) If you think it doesn't happen because it's illegal then you are very naive.

I don't agree with hunting foxes or any animals for that matter.
However I would just like to add that a vast majority of those that do 'hunt' only do so because they get to ride across land that they aren't normally allowed to ride across and jump hedges that are normally fenced off or can't be accessed. A lot of people use hunts to school their horses to make them braver when jumping across country for eventing and team chasing.

And those particular hunts don't pay a penny for the damage they make tearing up the countryside. They have been through my parents garden once and destroyed a fence and a vegetable patch.

All our local meets were cancelled, there’s been bugger all this season really. I’m missing it but it’s the right thing to minimise gathering right now and the ground is diabolical here anyway with all the flooding.
It’s a big bit of my Boxing Day tradition though.
The bloodhounds were out today I think though.

A bunch of posh twats on horseback setting a pack of dogs on a poor fox ...

At least you were honest enough to get your real objection into the first few words
FWIW I don't like it either, but isn't it strange how folk rant about something done by the "posh twats" and not, say, about dog or cock fighting?

Those are illegal too, but they still happen - except they don't tend to attract the "posh"

Do young people take part in any if these hunts, badger baiting, wildbird shoots, dog and cock fighting or are they more socially aware and know its completely pointless and cruel and that grouse and pheasant are not essential foods whats the purpose of a hunt?

Everytime someone mentions foxes, they always talk about the chicken massacre and how the fox kills them for fun.

They don’t! They actually intend on coming back and moving them to a save larder area for when times get hard and they need the food and can’t hunt

Humans end up disturbing them before they get a chance to do that.

Also those saying it’s just drag hunting. I wish it was, but amazingly enough foxes always seem to “get in the way” and it’s an accidental kill

It really isn’t

Soubriquet, of course "humans" would never kill anything for fun.

And drag hunt or no drag hunt those hounds regularly bear down on family pets round our way. And trample fields and gardens over which they have no right of access. I'm country through and through but bloody hate the sense of entitlement that comes with the hunts I've encountered.

@scentedgeranium I expect you are getting confused with trail hunts - what sort of hounds? Poor bloodhounds often get blamed for the sins of fox packs.